Surprising Facts About the Top 20 US Universities Known for Their Engineering Programs

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY (Pittsburgh, PA)

With stringent acceptance criteria, less than 25% of prospective applicants will be allowed to attend. Three of the most popular programs on campus are mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering. Carnegie Mellon was rated the 27^th university worldwide in 2018 in the Times Higher Education ranking.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY (Stanford, CA)

One of the hardest universities to be accepted into, with less than 5% (1 in 20) applicants admitted every year. However, this admissions process has produced some of the best minds: since 1952, over 54 alumni, faculty, and staff have won a Nobel Prize. It will be celebrating its 130^th birthday in 2021, having first opened its doors on October 1^st,1891, to a class of 555 students.

MONTANA TECH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA (Butte, Montana)

If a career in mining is what you’re after, look no further than Montana Tech. Students from this school can expect to be offered salaries upward of $80,000 upon graduation, and with a whopping 98% placement rate in the mining industry, this is within reach of every graduate. All this comparatively affordably, too, with an average net cost of about $11,000 per year.

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY (Morgantown, West Virginia)

The Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is another great school if you’re looking for a career in the mining industry, although geared more towards energy. The petroleum and natural gas engineering program is one of only three colleges in the nation recognized by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). Located in the Appalachian Mountains, it has seen one of the largest booms in the energy field, with the extraction of natural gas from Marcellus Shale becoming more and more prevalent. Its student population is one of the smartest, with an average high school GPA of 3.45.

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Another difficult school to be get into —only 6.7% of applicants are admitted every year. This is reflected in a very intimate learning environment, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. It doesn’t stop the program from being widely renowned as the best in its field: the US News & World Report has ranked it at #1 since 1983, with 10 of its individual sub-programs ranked from #1 to #7 in the nation.

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY (Lubbock, Texas)

This university located in the Lone Star State is the first public university to require its engineering majors to study abroad. It offers individual programs such as chemical engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, construction engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, petroleum engineering, and industrial, systems, and manufacturing engineering. Bachelors’ and masters’ degrees are the most widely offered degree programs here.

NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY (Las Cruces, New Mexico)

New Mexico State University has the largest engineering college in the state, with 13 accredited programs and over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled. It offers great value: at an average yearly cost of $10,300, it has been ranked as the 12^th best value school amongst a pool of over 500 institutions in the US. Additionally, it is easier to get in than some other schools, with an average yearly admission rate of 64%.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY (Berkeley, California)

Another California school, UC Berkeley is more moderately selective than others on this list, with an average acceptance rate of 16.8%. It offers a smaller class setting, with about 19 students per faculty member, allowing for good research opportunities. The most popular individual programs amongst students are chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

This school is full of some of the brightest young minds in the country, with about a quarter of admitted freshmen boasting a GPA of 4.0 or above. In addition, admitted students typically rank within the top 5% of ACT scores in the United States. Some of the most popular programs offered in the engineering department include, but are not limited to, aeronautical, astronomical, biomedical, chemical, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering programs.

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY (Ames, Iowa)

Engineering is one of the most popular programs here, with almost a quarter of the 36,000 students choosing an engineering-based major. This might be a product of Iowa State’s long history with engineering studies, as it was one of the first majors featured when the university opened its doors in 1858, when no other university in the US was offering a master’s degree in engineering.

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Pasadena, California)

In this intimate school, a student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1 allows for unprecedented research opportunities for students. However, Caltech is also one of the smallest schools in the nation, with fewer than 1,000 undergraduate students. This is reflected in a strict selection process, with 6.4% of applicants accepted and successful candidates typically within the top 1% of ACT/SAT scores.

TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (Cookeville, Tennessee)

Graduates of this school can expect solid career options and an average salary of 60k per year upon graduation. Additionally, the school has a large research budget, giving students opportunities to get ahead in the field. Engineering is one of the most popular choices of major amongst incoming freshmen.

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY (Tuskegee, Alabama)

Historically, Tuskegee University was the first all-black college to offer an aerospace engineering degree. Of the student body, roughly 35% choose a STEM major. The school offers aerospace, chemical, electrical and computer, materials science, and mechanical engineering in its College of Engineering.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY (Ithaca, New York)

An Ivy League school, Cornell has arguably the strongest engineering program among them. The most popular programs are agricultural, chemical, mechanical, and information engineering. As with all Ivy League schools, the selection process is extremely competitive; only about 1 in 9 applicants is accepted, with an average SAT score within the top 7%.

LAMAR UNIVERSITY (Beaumont, Texas)

If a high paying job is your primary motivation for becoming an engineer, Lamar is one of the best places for you to go. A degree from this undergraduate engineering college could lead you to an average yearly salary of $75,000 or more. Additionally, the co-op program allows students to work in paid internships while still in college, combining the benefits of earning a bit of money and acquiring valuable experience in the field. This contributes to its affordability, with an average yearly cost of about $13,800 and over 4 million dollars’ worth of need and merit-based scholarships available to students.

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS (Fayetteville, Arkansas)

Home of the Razorbacks, the University of Arkansas has one of the most diverse engineering departments, with 17 different accredited programs. It is another school with a large research budget that pairs on-campus research with paid internships. It currently offers prospective students the chance to combine a degree in engineering or computer science with a degree in German, all in five short years, including spending a year studying and interning in Germany. If this doesn’t broaden opportunities for students as they enter the workforce, we don’t know what will.

OREGON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Klamath Falls, Oregon)

Another school that focuses heavily on STEM majors, with over half of the student population pursuing degrees in STEM-related fields. Graduating from this school should give you a good chance to acquire a job after college, as about 90% of students find employment within six months of receiving their degree. Multiple programs are on offer, including civil engineering, computer systems engineering technology, electrical engineering, and manufacturing and mechanical engineering.

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Atlanta, Georgia)

The Georgia Institute of Technology (also known as Georgia Tech) offers a wide array of engineering programs, from aerospace engineering to nuclear and radiological engineering, along with mechanical, materials science, industrial and systems, electrical and computer, civil and environmental, chemical and bimolecular, and biomedical engineering. If you are looking to further your current engineering degree, they also offer 23 different master’s degree programs, and 18 doctoral degrees. Applicants are accepted at an average rate of 23%.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (Evanston, Illinois)

At Northwestern, there are plenty of research opportunities, with over 24 research institutes on campus focusing on biotechnology, nanotechnology, service and infrastructure technologies, and information technology. According to US News, it is the 19^th best engineering school overall in the country, #2 (tied) in Materials engineering, #4 in Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems engineering, as #10 in Civil engineering. It is not the easiest to get into, however, with an average acceptance rate of 8%.

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (Baltimore, Maryland)

With a slightly higher acceptance rate than other engineering colleges (11% on average), Johns Hopkins University offers a total of 21 different program areas for those looking to enter the career field of engineering. Programs offered include civil engineering, engineering management, space systems engineering, and applied biomedical engineering, to name a few. While expensive, Johns Hopkins met 100% of the financial aid needs of those who applied for it during the 2019-2020 school year.

Why Engineers Are Crucial

In addition to innovation being so commonplace today, technological items are getting increasingly complex, yet at the same time much more user-friendly. There are also ever-changing government regulations on various products, which will require some of the objects we use today to be scrapped and re-designed. To meet these demands, society must produce engineers capable of designing products in a way that meet the needs of the government and consumers, without compromising the safety of their users.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com  . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com