Materials Rankings
Materials engineers study and work with plastics, ceramics, steel, and more. These are the top undergraduate schools for materials engineering, where the highest degree offered is a doctorate.
- Tuition and fees:
- $40,732 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 4,299
- Setting:
- urban
Cambridge, MA
Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science, and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management, and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Mass., just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $11,767 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $34,645 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 25,540
- Setting:
- urban
Berkeley, CA
The University of California—Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Students at this public school have more than 700 organizations to get involved in, including more than 55 fraternity and sorority chapters.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $13,558 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $27,700 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 31,540
- Setting:
- urban
Champaign, IL
University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign was established in 1867 as a public institution. University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $12,590 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $37,265 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 27,027
- Setting:
- urban
Ann Arbor, MI
A public institution, University of Michigan--Ann Arbor was founded in 1817. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor offers a Greek system, where 20.0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 16.0 percent is involved in a fraternity.
- Tuition and fees:
- $41,983 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 8,443
- Setting:
- suburban
Evanston, IL
Northwestern University is a private school in Evanston, Ill., about 30 minutes outside of Chicago. Undergraduate students have more than 70 options for majors or can design their own non-traditional degree program.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $9,652 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $27,862 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 13,750
- Setting:
- urban
Atlanta, GA
Founded in 1885, Georgia Institute of Technology is a public institution. Georgia Institute of Technology follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
- Tuition and fees:
- $40,569 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 6,940
- Setting:
- suburban
Stanford, CA
The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.
- Tuition and fees:
- $41,541 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 13,935
- Setting:
- rural
Ithaca, NY
Cornell University, a private school in Ithaca, N.Y., started the country’s first colleges for hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, and veterinary medicine. Cornell now offers a wide variety of undergraduate programs and runs interdisciplinary research centers for nanotechnology, supercomputing, and more.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $5,656 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $27,933 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 32,660
- Setting:
- suburban
Gainesville, FL
A public institution, University of Florida was founded in 1853. University of Florida offers a Greek system, where 16.9 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 17.2 percent is involved in a fraternity.
- Tuition and fees:
- $43,396 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 6,108
- Setting:
- urban
Pittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Mellon University, a private institution in Pittsburgh, Pa., is the country’s only school founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The school specializes in academic areas including engineering, business, computer science, and fine arts.
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