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Top Engineering Colleges

Top Engineering Colleges in USA

We have ranked Engineering schools and colleges in the US. You can find information on admission requirements, tuition & fees, acceptance rate, GRE scores, GPA, research expenditure etc. All these schools provide undergraduate, graduate and PhD degrees in engineering. For other recommended engineering programs, please scroll to the bottom to find more information.


#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA

Research Expenditure: $447.783 million
PhDs granted (2017): 550
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 12%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 7 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $49892/$50000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $49000/$49000

#2 Stanford University, CA

Research Expenditure: $208.41 million
PhDs granted (2017): 504
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 13%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 5 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $49617/$49617
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51000/$51000
MS in Engineering (average scores for accepted students in Engineering)

#3 University of California, Berkeley, CA

Research Expenditure: $219.018 million
PhDs granted (2017): 340
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 17%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 12 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $17185/$45000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12000/$27000

#4 California Institute of Technology, CA

Research Expenditure: $114.411 million
PhDs granted (2017): 138
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 8%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 7 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $49908/$49908
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $46000/$46000
Most graduate students at Caltech receive financial aid for their graduate education. 99% of doctoral students have full financial support. There is no minimum requirement of GPA, but most students are in top 5-10% of the class. The Graduate Record Examination score is required by all Graduate Engineering Programs.

#5 Georgia Institute of Technology, GA

Research Expenditure: $558.219 million
PhDs granted (2017): 628
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 33%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 20 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$33000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15798/$42190

#6 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL

Research Expenditure: $238.991 million
PhDs granted (2017): 320
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 25%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 46 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $20872/$36992
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $23000/$39000

#7 University of Michigan, MI

Research Expenditure: $293.93 million
PhDs granted (2017): 396
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 25%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 20 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15000/$47000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $25000/$47000
Aerospace Engineering

#8 Cornell University, NY

Research Expenditure: $123.162 million
PhDs granted (2017): 204
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 28%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 12 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52853/$52853
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $31000/$31000

#9 Carnegie Mellon University, PA

Research Expenditure: $103.097 million
PhDs granted (2017): 256
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 19%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 13 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $53620/$53620
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $44000/$44000

#10 The University of Texas at Austin, TX

Research Expenditure: $217.413 million
PhDs granted (2017): 452
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 17%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 24 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $10836/$36000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $10000/$18000
Petroleum Engineering
There are no minimum requirements. Having Petroleum engineering degree is not a requirement, but most students have that background. The majority of students get some financial assistance. For fall 2016, the acceptance rate was ~12%; Average GRE verbal score was 155 and average GRE Quant. score was 165, GPA was 3.7/4.

#11 Purdue University, IN

Research Expenditure: $244.824 million
PhDs granted (2017): 534
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 29%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 47 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12042/$30844
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12000/$30000

#12 University of California, Los Angeles, CA

Research Expenditure: $92.343 million
PhDs granted (2017): 250
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 27%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 12 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14632/$42646
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $17000/$33000

#13 Princeton University, NJ

Research Expenditure: $73.985 million
PhDs granted (2017): 100
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 13%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 6 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $47140/$48000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $46000/$46000

#14 University of California, San Diego, CA

Research Expenditure: $178.81 million
PhDs granted (2017): 230
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 28%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 26 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14018/$43000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12000/$27000

#15 Texas A&M University, TX

Research Expenditure: $290.413 million
PhDs granted (2017): 400
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 27%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 84 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12247/$38000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12000/$24000

#16 University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI

Research Expenditure: $147.315 million
PhDs granted (2017): 244
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 23%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 51 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $11934/$36183
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$26000
ECE Department
Average scores are.. GRE Quantitative: About 780
GRE Analytical Writing: About 4.0
Average TOEFL (iBT): 100
Approximately 325 students are enrolled in our graduate program, with roughly 60 percent being doctoral candidates.

Student interns or co-ops earn, on average, 75 percent of a full-time engineering salary and gain valuable real-world experience.

#17 University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Research Expenditure: $153.254 million
PhDs granted (2017): 256
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 26%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 32 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $11000/$33000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$29000

#18 University of Southern California, CA

Research Expenditure: $204.678 million
PhDs granted (2017): 248
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 22%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 13 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $54323/$54323
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $30000/$30000

#19 The Pennsylvania State University, PA

Research Expenditure: $103.583 million
PhDs granted (2017): 332
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 22%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 55 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $17416/$32644
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $23000/$38000
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Top 20 Program, for admission to MS program most of the students (75%) have GPA >3.0, GER-Verbal score of 153+ , GRE-Q score of 163+ and GRE Analytical Writing : 3.5+.

#20 Columbia University, NY

Research Expenditure: $63.596 million
PhDs granted (2017): 144
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 22%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 6 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $57208/$58000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $49000/$49000

#21 University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

Research Expenditure: $105.822 million
PhDs granted (2017): 128
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 17%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 18 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14564/$42578
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14000/$29000

#22 University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, MN

Research Expenditure: $129.625 million
PhDs granted (2017): 270
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 29%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 33 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15148/$27334
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $19000/$28000

#23 Northwestern University, IL

Research Expenditure: $115.438 million
PhDs granted (2017): 204
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 21%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 8 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52239/$52239
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51000/$51000

#24 The Johns Hopkins University, MD

Research Expenditure: $145.491 million
PhDs granted (2017): 152
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 35%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 12 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52170/$52170
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52000/$52000

#25 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, VA

Research Expenditure: $228.281 million
PhDs granted (2017): 336
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 22%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 72 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13230/$31014
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15072/$29000

#26 University of Virginia, VA

Research Expenditure: $75.421 million
PhDs granted (2017): 98
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 32%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 28 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $20176/$21000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $16000/$26000

#27 Harvard University, MA

Research Expenditure: $70.131 million
PhDs granted (2017): 48
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 9%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 4 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $48949/$49000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $50000/$56000

#28 University of Pennsylvania, PA

Research Expenditure: $110.826 million
PhDs granted (2017): 100
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 22%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 7 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $53534/$53534
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $33000/$33000

#29 The Ohio State University, OH

Research Expenditure: $152.775 million
PhDs granted (2017): 268
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 19%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 43 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $11216/$30319
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12935/$35000

#30 Duke University , NC

Research Expenditure: $104.103 million
PhDs granted (2017): 144
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 32%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 8 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $53744/$53744
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $54000/$54000

#31 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY

Research Expenditure: $61.452 million
PhDs granted (2017): 144
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 30%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 45%
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51000/$51000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $50000/$50000

#32 North Carolina State University, NC

Research Expenditure: $206.37 million
PhDs granted (2017): 326
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 18%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 52 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $10558/$28906
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$29000

#33 William Marsh Rice University, TX

Research Expenditure: $74.605 million
PhDs granted (2017):
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 23%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 14 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $44900/$44900
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $44000/$44000

#34 University of Washington, WA

Research Expenditure: $153.386 million
PhDs granted (2017): 184
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 28%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 58 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $10974/$35538
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $19000/$33000

#35 University of Florida, FL

Research Expenditure: $94.548 million
PhDs granted (2017): 272
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 39%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 45 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $6381/$28658
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14000/$31000

#36 University of California, Davis, CA

Research Expenditure: $89.188 million
PhDs granted (2017): 166
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 24%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 37 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14382/$42396
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14000/$29000

#37 Washington University in St. Louis, MO

Research Expenditure: $24.963 million
PhDs granted (2017): 74
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 46%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 14 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51532/$51532
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $50000/$50000

#38 Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, CT

Research Expenditure: $37.039 million
PhDs granted (2017): 50
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 16%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 6 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51400/$51400
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $40000/$40000

#39 Michigan State University, MI

Research Expenditure: $56.427 million
PhDs granted (2017): 120
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 13%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 76 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14460/$39405
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15000/$28000

#40 The University of Iowa, IA

Research Expenditure: $51.378 million
PhDs granted (2017): 62
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 24%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 80 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $10191/$31873
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $11500/$30000

#41 University of California, Davis, CA

Research Expenditure: $89.188 million
PhDs granted (2017): 166
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 24%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 37 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14382/$42396
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $14000/$29000

#42 University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA

Research Expenditure: $47.257 million
PhDs granted (2017): 98
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 34%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 40 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $16241/$34307
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $17000/$34000

#43 University of Arizona, AZ

Research Expenditure: $62.867 million
PhDs granted (2017): 130
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 51%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 83 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13148/$36578
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$33000

#44 Brown University, RI

Research Expenditure: $31.735 million
PhDs granted (2017): 48
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 28%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 9 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $53419/$53419
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51000/$51000
PhD in Computer Science
  • Min. TOEFL 105 in iBT or 7.0 in IELTS
  • Min. GRE Verbal - 155
  • All PhD students are admitted with Financial support.

#45 Rutgers University, NJ

Research Expenditure: $74.605 million
PhDs granted (2017):
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 23%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 14 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $44900/$44900
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $44000/$44000

#46 University of Utah, UT

Research Expenditure: $81.96 million
PhDs granted (2017): 142
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 28%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 74 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $8824/$0
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $9000/$23000

#47 University of Notre Dame, IN

Research Expenditure: $69.954 million
PhDs granted (2017): 100
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 30%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 18 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52000/$52000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $50000/$50000

#48 Lehigh University, PA

Research Expenditure: $24.23 million
PhDs granted (2017): 110
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 32%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 27 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $50320/$50320
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $23000/$23000

#49 Iowa State University, IA

Research Expenditure: $99.291 million
PhDs granted (2017): 190
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 27%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 95 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $8851/$22687
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $12000/$26000

#50 University of Rochester, NY

Research Expenditure: $96.826 million
PhDs granted (2017): 64
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 38%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 33 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $51090/$51090
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $23000/$23000

#51 University of Colorado Boulder, CO

Research Expenditure: $132.146 million
PhDs granted (2017): 212
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 26%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 40 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $15000/$40000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $16500/$34037

#52 Case Western Reserve University, OH

Research Expenditure: $42.084 million
PhDs granted (2017): 106
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 42%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 33 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $47074/$47074
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $43000/$43000

#53 Vanderbilt University, TN

Research Expenditure: $66.883 million
PhDs granted (2017): 84
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 23%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 11 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $48000/$48000
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $28000/$28000

#54 Northeastern University, MA

Research Expenditure: $62.707 million
PhDs granted (2017): 136
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 42%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 36 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $48560/$48560
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $23000/$23000

#55 Arizona State University, AZ

Research Expenditure: $127.332 million
PhDs granted (2017): 208
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 60%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 72 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $11322/$28172
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13000/$31000
Fulton Schools of Engineering have one of the largest Engineering programs
Enrollment : ~7,800
5,200 Undergraduate
1,700 Master's
835 Doctoral
Research Expenditures : $78 million

#56 University of Delaware, DE

Research Expenditure: $48.943 million
PhDs granted (2017): 166
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 38%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 55 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $13160/$33150
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $32652/$32652

#57 Drexel University , PA

Research Expenditure: $32.312 million
PhDs granted (2017): 138
Graduate Acceptance Rate: 51%
Undergrad Acceptance Rate: 87 %
Undergrad Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $52037/$52037
Graduate Fees: (in-state/out-of-state): $29000/$29000
** These ranking have been compiled by graduateshotline using various resources available from the internet like NRC rankings, University websites, research expenditures, ipeds,asee etc. Importance has been given to research expenditures, acceptance rate (Engineering Programs with low acceptance rate are ranked higher), funding, salary, reputation and location. We also believe in average ranking in last 3-4 years (rather on yearly ranking).
Also check Average GRE scores for Engineering.

Top Undergraduate Engineering Schools (Where PhD is not offered)

These are great schools and have a high reputation. They do not offer PhD degrees (only MS and BS). Getting in these schools is as tough as getting in Ivy League!
  • Harvey Mudd College
  • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
  • Cooper - Union

Which is top paying Engineering Major?

  • Petroleum Engineering is highest paying Engineering degree.
  • Georgia Institute of Technology is the largest college of Engineering in the US.
  • MIT is World's Best Engineering School: There is no cap on the number of graduate students admitted to MIT. Departments admit as many as they can support based on their research assistantship, teaching assistantship, and fellowship resources, as well as the number of faculties available to advise on research.
  • Most of the top schools (around 50%) are located in California and Tri-state region (New York, New Jersey, PA) we can add MA :) also. Also, most of the engineering jobs (especially related to Computers / finance / management / telecom / electronics) are in the same region (other good areas are North Carolina (Research Triangle Park), Chicago, Dallas/Austin/Houston and Seattle.

Is ranking important?

The rankings are important. It is important in getting a better job, better chances of getting promotions (while you are working). Getting a degree from Ivy League or a top college will always help in your entire career.


List of Best Engineering Programs

Top Engineering Schools outside USA

Cheapest Engineering Programs