Engineers solve problems by developing innovative solutions that help improve products, infrastructure, and technology.
Working in many different fields, engineers apply the knowledge gained during a bachelor of science in engineering degree in the professional workforce. Mechanical engineers develop new materials and products, civil engineers design roads and bridges, and computer engineers design computer systems. Graduates work in manufacturing and technology, in medical research labs, and for government agencies. With a wealth of career paths after graduation, earning an engineering degree prepares graduates for lucrative, in-demand careers.
The best engineering degrees incorporate hands on, experiential learning at the undergraduate level. Engineering majors at the top programs participate in research projects, gain work experience through co-ops and internships, and build global competencies through study abroad experiences. The following list of the best engineering programs includes all types of engineering degrees, from biomedical engineering to environmental engineering, which offer the best undergraduate education in engineering.
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What can you do with an Engineering degree?
Engineers create the newest products, services, and ideas to improve human health, safety, and happiness. Engineers provide solutions to opportunities and challenges that affect everyone.
From the environment, energy, new product design, to national security, engineers have an active role in virtually every area of human life.
Here are some of the most popular areas of study within engineering:
Aerospace
Biomedical
Chemical
Computer
Electrical
Environmental
Industrial
What kind of Engineering degree should you get?
All of the colleges on this list are fully accredited. That means that a higher education board approved the curriculum after getting input from US engineering communities.
There are several disciplines within engineering – different starting points for solving engineering problems. More than twenty-five major specialties are recognized in the fields of engineering and engineering technology.
Because research is such an integral part of engineering, and because schools with graduate programs tend to have more research centers, labs, and institutes, we've limited our top 50 list to those schools that also have graduate programs.
However, if you are looking for a list of undergraduate programs that offer the flexibility of an online curriculum, be sure to check out our ranking of the Best Online Engineering Degree Programs.
How much money do people make with an Engineering degree?
Year after year, engineering majors get the highest paying jobs.
Of course, individual engineering salaries vary depending on the level of education, focus of career, and the region of the world, but the average salaries top the charts.
It is well worth the time and effort to become an engineer. The most current numbers on starting median salaries for engineers is $55,000 to $70,000, with the potential to earn two to three times these amounts with experience, success, and further education.
What are the requirements for an Engineering Degree?
Prospective engineers need a solid high school education:
4 years of English
Geometry, Trigonometry, beginning Calculus
Biology, Chemistry, Physics
2 years of social science
SAT score around 630
ACT score around 29
3.0 GPA
Engineers use mathematics, the physical, chemical, and biological sciences, as well as business and communications skills to solve important, real-world problems in society.
Engineers and scientists must be critical thinkers, entrepreneurs, and innovators who understand the social and business implications of their work.
They need to be able to communicate their ideas coherently, and work effectively in teams. Above all, they must be willing and able to provide leadership in solving society's big problems.
What Are the Best Engineering Degree Programs?
Our scores are based on five factors: Quality, Reputation, Affordability, Value, and Satisfaction. We get these numbers by combining data points from U.S. News and World Report, Payscale.org, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, student reviews, and the school's websites.
To help prospective engineering student explore programs and schools, we have compiled the following list of the top 50 undergraduate engineering programs.
Related Engineering Rankings
They need to be able to communicate their ideas coherently, and work effectively in teams. Above all, they must be willing and able to provide leadership in solving society's big problems.
Our world is powered by engineers.
Engineers create the newest products, services, and ideas to improve human health, safety, and happiness. Engineers provide solutions to opportunities and challenges that affect everyone.
From the environment, energy, new product design, to national security, engineers have an active role in virtually every area of human life.
Engineering salaries vary depending on the level of education, focus of career, and the region of the world, but year after year, engineering tops the list of majors with the highest average starting salary.
It is well worth the time and effort to become an engineer. The most current numbers on starting median salaries for engineers is $55,000 to $70,000, with the potential to earn two to three times these amounts with experience, success, and further education.
Engineering involves the creative application of tools from math and science to solve problems that confront humanity today.
While these problems present technological challenges, each exists within a cultural, economic, historical, and ethical context, and thus an undergraduate education in engineering must provide students with a broad academic foundation.
Twenty-first-century engineering is at the epicenter of an explosion in new knowledge. Revolutionary discoveries in science, engineering, medicine, mathematics, and the social sciences have not only changed the way we interact with the world around us, but have also blurred the boundaries between academic disciplines.
Engineering is the catalyst for bringing disciplines together and pushing forward the amazing advances made possible by those collaborations. The breadth of an engineer's education as well as the interdisciplinary nature of engineering disciplines has led some to call an engineering education the new liberal arts.
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredits college engineering programs nationwide using criteria and standards developed and accepted by U.S. engineering communities.
There are several disciplines within engineering—different starting points for solving engineering problems. More than twenty-five major specialties are recognized in the fields of engineering and engineering technology.
Some of the more popular areas of study include Aerospace, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Industrial, Mechanical, and Systems.
Whether you're an undergraduate who likes the idea of research or who is thinking about graduate school, collaborating on projects will prepare you for a productive future in research, your workplace, and your community.
The experience will position you to meet the needs of society and provide technical leadership, no matter where your path leads.
Because research is such an integral part of engineering, and because schools with graduate programs tend to have more research center, labs, and institutes, we've limited our top fifty list to those schools with graduate programs. However, if you are looking for a list of undergraduate programs that offer the flexibility of an online curriculum, be sure to check out our ranking of the Best Online Engineering Degree Programs.
What Are the Best Engineering Degree Programs?
To help prospective engineering student explore programs and schools, we have compiled the following list of the top fifty undergraduate engineering programs. Because we know that a degree is an investment of sorts, we have factored into our rankings the cost of getting an engineering degree and the salary prospects for graduates of the various schools.
By combining data points from U.S. News and World Report, Payscale.org, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and information provided by schools, we've created a list of fifty schools that will get an aspiring engineering off to a successful start.
Best Engineering Degree Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
