Mechanical Engineering involves practical application of mechanical and thermal sciences to research, design, development, testing, and manufacturing of a wide variety of products. The diverse areas to which mechanical engineers contribute include transportation, power generation and energy conversion, environmental control and pollution abatement, noise control, and biomechanics. Recent developments have increased interest in such areas as robotics, mechatronics, precision engineering, automated manufacturing systems, combustion, and propulsion. Student projects include Min-Baja, Formula Cars, and walking machines.

NC State's Mechanical Engineering program is comprehensive in that it consists of both analytical/numerical and experimental activities and laboratories. Computational facilities consist of three computer laboratories, using both UNIX and Windows NT platforms. Computational software available includes mathematical and solution algorithms, as well as modern design and analysis tools. The experimental laboratories include measurements and data analysis, performance evaluation of thermal systems and power plants, and testing and analysis of mechanical components. The senior design laboratory is jointly supported by the department and industry. This is a unique laboratory facility, which involves students in solving actual industrial problems by designing, building, and testing prototype machines. The laboratory facilities are supported by a machine shop and an electronics facility. Also housed in the mechanical engineering program are the Applied Energy Research Laboratory (AERL), the Precision Engineering Laboratory (PEC) and the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC).

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering as such has only existed since 1966, prior to which time it was simply the Department of Mechanical Engineering.