Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Rankings
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Methodology
These undergrad engineering programs were ranked solely on a peer assessment survey conducted in spring 2012. To appear on an undergraduate engineering survey, a school must have a program accredited by ABET. The programs below are schools whose highest engineering degree offered is a doctorate.
- Tuition and fees:
- $42,050 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 4,384
- 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.
- Tuition and fees:
- $41,787 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 6,988
- 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:
- $39,588 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 978
- Setting:
- suburban
Pasadena, CA
The California Institute of Technology focuses on science and engineering education and has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. This private institution in Pasadena, Calif. is actively involved in research projects with grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $11,767 (2011-12)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $34,645 (2011-12)
- Enrollment:
- 25,885
- 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:
- $10,098 (2012-13)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $29,402 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 13,948
- Setting:
- urban
Atlanta, GA
Georgia Institute of Technology is a public institution that was founded in 1885. The school has 41.0 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Georgia Institute of Technology is 17:1.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $14,428 (2012-13)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $28,570 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 32,256
- Setting:
- city
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:
- $13,437 (2012-13)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $39,109 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 27,407
- Setting:
- city
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 19.0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 15.0 percent is involved in a fraternity.
- Tuition and fees:
- $45,124 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 6,281
- 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.
- Tuition and fees:
- $43,413 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 14,167
- 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.
- Tuition and fees:
- $38,650 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 5,249
- Setting:
- suburban
Princeton, NJ
The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, N.J. Princeton was the first university to offer a “no loan” policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $9,900 (2012-13)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $28,702 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 30,776
- Setting:
- city
West Lafayette, IN
Purdue University--West Lafayette was established in 1869 as a public institution. Purdue University--West Lafayette follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
- In-state tuition and fees:
- $9,792 (2012-13)
- Out-of-state tuition and fees:
- $33,060 (2012-13)
- Enrollment:
- 38,437
- Setting:
- city
Austin, TX
A public institution, University of Texas--Austin was founded in 1883. University of Texas--Austin offers a Greek system, where 15.0 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 12.3 percent is involved in a fraternity.
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