M.Eng. Vs. M.S. - Is One Degree Better Than the Other?

• Masters of Science in Engineering or M.S. is a research degree.
• Masters of Engineering is a professional degree. For reference, it is similar to M. Tech/M. E. degree in India.

While there is not much difference between the scopes of the degrees (both tend to lead to good employment), it is the method of learning that varies between the two.
Before explaining the variances further, let’s clarify two exceptions. In Australia, M. Eng. is research, not a professional degree. The program lasts for two to three years and requires a thesis submission at the end of it. In the U.K., M.Eng. is a five-year course with the last year spent in the industry. At the end of the degree, students become chartered engineers. 
To make the difference between the two Masters courses in Engineering simpler, we pick Cornell as an example in this article. It is one of the top universities in the US that offers both the courses.

• Master of Science takes two years to complete. This is typical for other universities as well.
• Master of Engineering takes one year to complete. In other universities, M. Eng. ranges between 1-2 years, with several universities offering the 1-year option.

• Masters of Science annual tuition fee: $29,500 
• Masters of Engineering annual tuition fee: $54,584 

Masters of Engineering has a higher annual fee, but overall it costs less than M.S. The reasons are threefold:

1. M.S. is for two years, which means paying the tuition fee twice.
2. As an international student, the actual cost you bear includes living, travel, food, and other miscellaneous expenses. Since M.Eng. is the shorter degree, it reduces this expense by half. 
3. The college may not provide financial aid for the M.S. degree, as is the case with Cornell. 

Do note that there are some schools where the tuition fee is similar for both courses. Even then M.Eng. costs less. 

The requirements for Masters courses in Engineering for the two degrees remain mostly the same. Both M.S. and M.Eng. require:
A bachelor’s degree

• TOEFL or IELTS score
• The GRE General Test score
• Three Letters of Recommendation

• The biggest difference in M.S. Eng. and M.Eng. is how the curricula are taught. 
• Since M.S. is an academic degree, it focuses on research and theoretical work. The student is tested via a thesis (some may have a non-thesis option as well), in addition to regular exams and projects.

M.Eng. is a professional degree. Therefore, it focuses on teaching students on how to apply theory to practical applications. The coursework is chiefly about developing the skills of the student to find appropriate employment in the industry. The student is tested through examinations or projects.
If you look through Cornell’s M.S. in Mechanical Eng. page and M.Eng. in Mechanical Eng. page, you’ll note that they teach the same specializations and concentrations. The difference lies in the outcome and process of education.

• M.S. teaches the student advanced research skills such as how to apply the current techniques and methodologies to a project, critical analysis of findings, etc.
• M.Eng. teaches technical skills “designed to put engineers on an accelerated career track.”