Optimal design of functionally graded plates is investigated considering stress and critical temperature. Material properties are assumed to be temperature dependent and varied continuously in the thickness direction. The effective material properties are obtained by applying linear rule of mixtures. The 3-D finite element model is adopted using an 18-node solid element to analyze more accurately the variation of material properties and temperature field in the thickness direction. For stress analysis, the tensile stress ratio and compressive stress ratio of the structure under mechanical load are investigated. In the thermo-mechanical buckling analysis, temperature at each node is obtained by solving the steady-state heat transfer problem and Newton-Raphson method is used for material nonlinear analysis. Finally, the optimal design of FGM plates is studied for stress reduction and improving thermo-mechanical buckling behavior, simultaneously.