Best Engineering Schools in the U.S. (2024 Rankings)

Though high schools often emphasize a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum, engineering isn't always taught as a standalone course. So, how do you even know where to start when it comes to studying engineering in college?

Don't worry - we've got the details you need. Getting an undergraduate engineering degree can lead you to jobs at top companies in many fields, from biochemical engineering to nuclear engineering.

When deciding what engineering school to apply to, there are lots of factors to consider, from the majors the school offers to its resources, alumni network, location, and research opportunities. We've gathered information about the top 10 engineering schools offering bachelor's degrees in 2024 so you can find the school that's right for you.

10 best engineering schools in 2024

The following 10 colleges and universities are considered some of the best engineering schools in the country. We reviewed each school's program offerings, size, location, and scholarship opportunities to help you make the right choice.

All the schools listed below have excellent graduation rates, meaning you have a good chance of finishing your bachelor's degree within four to six years. We also included schools with a range of acceptance rates, so whether you're looking for a reach school or a safety school, we've got you covered.

The cost of attendance listed for each school is the "sticker price" based on two full-time semesters and does not factor in scholarships, grants, loans, or other forms of financial aid. Many of the best engineering colleges offer financial aid packages to first-year students to help them lower costs. Additionally, some public state universities offer lower in-state tuition for residents and higher costs for out-of-state students.

One last thing to note: Some of the best engineering schools require students to complete general education requirements, such as humanities and other science courses, before beginning their engineering major.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Undergraduate enrollment: 4,638

Acceptance rate: 4%

Cost of attendance: $79,454

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering offers a wide range of undergraduate and master's degrees in various specializations, including chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, aeronautics, and astronautics.

Engineering students will be in great company at this school: About 70% of MIT students choose a major in engineering, making it the most popular discipline at the university. And while MIT is a smaller school, Harvard and several other universities call nearby Boston home.

MIT also has some great resources for engineering students, like the Sandbox Innovation Fund Program, which funds student projects to turn their ideas into a reality. And if you're interested in more than one major, the New Engineering Education Transformation (NEET) Program lets you build projects across disciplines.

California Institute of Technology

Location: Pasadena, California

Undergraduate enrollment: 987

Acceptance rate: 4%

Cost of attendance: $58,680

The Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences (EAS) at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) includes aerospace, medical engineering, applied physics and material sciences, and environmental engineering departments. 

Although students work hard, CalTech makes time for play, too - literally. Classes are never scheduled between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., so students can get involved in sports, clubs, music, or theater. Plus, all CalTech students get to do their own research at some point during their schooling.

University of California, Berkeley

Location: Berkeley, California

Undergraduate enrollment: 31,814

Acceptance rate: 14%

Cost of attendance: $14,226 for California residents; $43,980 for nonresidents

Over 4,000 undergraduate students are currently enrolled in UC Berkeley's College of Engineering, which offers majors in bioengineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, and more. The College of Engineering has consistently ranked high, recently as the No. 3 U.S. undergraduate engineering program in the country and the No. 11 engineering program in the world.

Cal students get to live on a gorgeous campus complete with a botanical garden, art museum, sports stadium, and picturesque creek. The city, on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, isn't too shabby either.

Carnegie Mellon University

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Undergraduate enrollment: 6,932

Acceptance rate: 14%

Cost of attendance: $58,924
 

Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering houses several departments, including electrical and computer engineering, engineering and public policy, and civil engineering. When you're not doing research at one of CMU's 24 research centers and institutes, you can explore Pittsburgh, join Greek life, paint a very ugly fence, or become the world's best buggy racer.

Princeton University

Location: Princeton, New Jersey

Undergraduate enrollment: 5,548

Acceptance rate: 4%

Cost of attendance: $83,140

Princeton University's School of Engineering and Applied Science offers Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degrees from six departments, including civil and environmental engineering, computer science, and aerospace engineering. And those degrees can go a long way: Graduates have gone on to get jobs at companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Boeing, and Tesla.

If you want to do an independent project or research, Princeton is the place for you. All engineering students complete an independent investigation as a full-year senior thesis or semester-long project. Studying abroad is also encouraged, and Princeton has engineering exchange programs with Oxford University, CentraleSupélec in Paris, University of Cantabria in Spain, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and Hong Kong University.

Duke University

Location: Durham, North Carolina

Undergraduate enrollment: 6,883

Acceptance rate: 6%

Cost of attendance: $60,224

Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering has a diverse range of majors and minors, including biomedical engineering, computer engineering, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and energy engineering. You can even study several disciplines at once through the school's IDEAS interdisciplinary program.

Looking for job security after graduation? Of the Class of 2023, four out of five Duke engineering graduates had jobs or job offers by graduation. Duke's location in Durham, part of the Research Triangle, also makes it a great choice for those looking to get into the life sciences.

Georgia Institute of Technology

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Undergraduate enrollment: 17,461

Acceptance rate: 16%

Cost of attendance: $12,852 for Georgia residents; $33,964 for nonresidents
 

Georgia Tech's College of Engineering comprises eight schools, including industrial and systems engineering and aerospace engineering, as well as interdisciplinary programs. If you're not looking for the traditional college experience, Georgia Tech also offers online engineering programs.

On-campus students can take advantage of Georgia Tech's location in Atlanta, where you'll never be short of new food to try or concerts to see.

Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Undergraduate enrollment: 9,579

Acceptance rate: 4% 

Cost of attendance: $55,587

Harvard University's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has undergraduate engineering programs in bioengineering, electrical engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, and more. If you prefer to see the big picture rather than honing in on just one topic, you'll like Harvard's vibe. The school doesn't have departments to encourage work between the disciplines.

It's easy to sell Harvard - I mean, who wouldn't want to go to Harvard? (Besides Mark Zuckerberg, but even he did for two years.) From Hogwarts-esque residential halls to a formal food truck schedule, the campus truly has it all.

Purdue University

Location: West Lafayette, Indiana

Undergraduate enrollment: 37,806

Acceptance rate: 69%

Cost of attendance: $9,992 for Indiana residents; $28,794 for nonresidents
 

Purdue's College of Engineering is its largest school, with 28% of the university's undergraduate students enrolled. The college has smaller schools that focus on specific subject areas, such as civil engineering, construction engineering and management, industrial engineering, and nuclear engineering.

Engineering isn't all about sitting in classrooms and labs, though. To get a job, you'll need some real-world experience. Thankfully, Purdue has a program called GRIT+ (Global, Research, Industry, Teamwork and More) that allows students to broaden their horizons through internships, community service, entrepreneurship, and other hands-on experiences.

University of Texas

Location: Austin, Texas

Undergraduate enrollment: 40,916

Acceptance rate: 29%

Cost of attendance: $11,752 for Texas residents; $40,996 for nonresidents

The University of Texas at Austin's Cockrell School of Engineering offers 11 undergraduate engineering majors, including architectural engineering, chemical engineering, computational engineering, and petroleum engineering. Looking for a scholarship? UT Austin also has an Engineering Honors Program, which awards merit-based scholarships to first-year participants.

Austin Longhorns get the best of both worlds - the true college experience on a giant campus, plus an awesome city as their playground. Say hello to warm weather, breakfast tacos, and Saturday afternoon football games.

Honorable Mentions

Below are some of the other engineering universities consistently ranked as the best engineering schools in the country that did not quite make the list above. These others round out the best universities for students pursuing degrees in engineering, listed in no particular order.

• Stanford University: Stanford, California
• Columbia University: New York, New York
• Cornell University: Ithaca, New York
• University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
• University of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Johns Hopkins University: Baltimore, Maryland
• University of Illinois: Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
• Texas A&M University: College Station, Texas
• Rice University: Houston, Texas
• University of Southern California (UCLA): Los Angeles, California
• University of California-Irvine
• Northwestern University: Evanston, Illinois
• University of California, San Diego
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

What is the No. 1 engineering school in the U.S.?

There's no such thing as the best engineering school. The best school for you will depend on what's important to you, be it location, available majors, or cost of attendance.

That said, rankings exist for a reason. MIT is regarded as one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. and beyond. Due to its small enrollment and low acceptance rate, it's considered a very prestigious and selective institution.

What are the most in-demand engineering jobs?

Sure, it's important to study what you like, but it's also important to know that jobs are waiting for you once you get that bachelor's degree. Don't fret; engineering jobs aren't going anywhere. In fact, openings are expected to grow faster than those of other occupations from 2021 to 2031.

Here are just some of the most in-demand jobs in the field right now:
 

• Civil engineering technician
• Aerospace engineer
• Engineering project manager
• Automotive engineer
• Water quality control engineer
• Renewable energy engineer
• Chemical plant and systems operator
• Manufacturing and production technician

Which engineering jobs pay the most?

Yet another perk of studying engineering in college is making a decent living without attending graduate school (although grad school doesn't hurt). The median annual salary for architecture and engineering occupations was $91,420 in May 2023.

The BLS names these positions as the highest-paying engineering jobs (in other words, jobs you may want to look into):

• Petroleum engineers: $135,690 median annual salary
• Computer hardware engineers: $138,080 median annual salary
• Aerospace engineers: $130,720 median annual salary
• Chemical engineers: $112,100 median annual salary

Quickly and easily compare the best engineering schools with College Rover

Finding the right college for you can be a long and difficult process, even if you have the best GPA in your high school graduating class. Luckily, College Rover makes it a little easier. Our search tools allow you to customize your search for your exact needs.
 

Search for colleges with specific majors, locations, sizes, and more. For example, you could search for mid-sized colleges in the Midwest with a chemical engineering program, and boom! The right schools will pop up.

You can also use our Compare Colleges tool to make a head-to-head comparison of different colleges you're interested in. If you're a big fan of pros and cons lists, this tool basically does half the work for you. Try our college search tools today!

College Rover gets the majority of its data directly from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE publishing schedule "lags" the most current data which some colleges post on their official websites. This may cause there to be a difference in the data you see on College Rover and an individual college website. College Rover's website is updated as the DOE data becomes available and is configured for the College Rover website.