Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees

By James Barham and Dr. Winston Ewert

Published: Nov 6, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

The best engineering liberal arts colleges are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best engineering degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding engineering faculty.

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Engineering Programs

United States Military Academy

62%

Swarthmore College

61%

Oberlin College

61%

Smith College

58%

United States Naval Academy

57%

Union College, New York

54%

San Francisco State University

51%

Pomona College

51%

United States Air Force Academy

49%

Tuskegee University

47%

San Francisco State University

93%

University of Portland

81%

College of Charleston

76%

Manhattan College

75%

Virginia Military Institute

64%

California State University, Long Beach

47%

Union College, New York

47%

Lafayette College

41%

Bucknell University

35%

Oberlin College

34%

California State University, Long Beach

24 to 1

San Francisco State University

22 to 1

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

21 to 1

College of Charleston

15 to 1

United States Merchant Marine Academy

13 to 1

Virginia Military Institute

11 to 1

Tuskegee University

11 to 1

Manhattan College

11 to 1

University of Portland

11 to 1

Bates College

10 to 1

Union College, New York

$61,659

$60,703

$60,240

$59,802

$59,062

Claremont McKenna College

$58,111

$57,978

$57,114

$56,686

$56,114

Claremont McKenna College

$64,288

$55,830

$38,038

$29,692

$26,112

University of Portland

$23,868

Tuskegee University

$20,378

Manhattan College

$20,052

College of Charleston

$13,770

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

$7,176

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

30%

United States Coast Guard Academy

35%

Pitzer College

37%

United States Merchant Marine Academy

38%

Manhattan College

41%

California State University, Long Beach

42%

Bucknell University

42%

University of Portland

42%

Claremont McKenna College

43%

Harvey Mudd College

44%

Pomona College

Swarthmore College

United States Naval Academy

Harvey Mudd College

10%

Claremont McKenna College

11%

United States Military Academy

11%

United States Air Force Academy

12%

Cooper Union

15%

Bates College

17%

Pitzer College

18%

United States Air Force Academy

6 to 1

Pomona College

6 to 1

Swarthmore College

7 to 1

United States Coast Guard Academy

7 to 1

Smith College

7 to 1

United States Military Academy

7 to 1

Cooper Union

8 to 1

Claremont McKenna College

8 to 1

Harvey Mudd College

8 to 1

United States Naval Academy

8 to 1

United States Merchant Marine Academy

$780

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

$5,742

California State University, Long Beach

$5,742

San Francisco State University

$5,742

Virginia Military Institute

$9,782

College of Charleston

$12,518

Tuskegee University

$22,614

Cooper Union

$46,820

Manhattan College

$47,220

University of Portland

$49,864

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

$7,176

California State University, Long Beach

$7,176

San Francisco State University

$7,176

College of Charleston

$13,770

Manhattan College

$20,052

Tuskegee University

$20,378

University of Portland

$23,868

Bucknell University

$26,112

Oberlin College

$29,692

Cooper Union

$38,038

Key Takeaways

Engineering degrees at liberal arts colleges are often underestimated. However, the benefits of small liberal arts colleges, such as small class sizes and individualized attention, often result in the best student outcomes.
The best liberal arts colleges provide fascinating 3-2 engineering programs. Through this exceptional dual degree program option, students can spend their first three years of education at a liberal arts institution before finishing their last two years at a partner university.
The most in-demand employees are those with expertise in various fields. You will be a cut above the competition if you have a liberal arts background in engineering.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Exploring Engineering Colleges in the US

Most find it unbelievable that a small liberal arts college could compete with a big university specializing in engineering. However, if you think about it, liberal arts colleges could offer more benefits.

You’ll have the best of both worlds when you obtain an engineering degree in a liberal arts institution. You can study engineering and receive a lot of practical experience, and you can do it in an intellectually exciting setting with a varied student group.

Benefits of Engineering Majors at Liberal Arts Colleges

Individualized attention: Numerous challenging prerequisites, such as calculus, physics, and chemistry, present a burden to engineering students; smaller institutions are better able to offer a helpful learning environment.

Smaller classrooms give students individualized attention and more opportunities to ask questions, promote deeper topic exploration, and allow for more significant one-on-one interaction between students and professors.

More Well-Rounded: Despite their differences, liberal arts schools and engineering schools tend to have the same goals: they want to educate students and prepare them for success.

Both allow students to learn various subjects, but liberal arts schools have a more expansive curriculum that includes humanities and social sciences (which are complementary to classifications such as psychology and sociology). There is also an emphasis on hands-on learning at both types of schools, but it is more prominent at liberal arts colleges.

More Flexibility: A liberal arts university isn’t the same as a college that offers only engineering programs. Liberal arts colleges with engineering programs have a wide range of academic majors and other degrees to provide students after their first year. Students who aren’t quite ready to fully commit to earning an engineering degree might consider liberal arts universities with engineering programs.

The 3-2 Dual Degree Programs

There are several 3-2 engineering programs, typically pairing a small liberal arts college with a more prominent research university that contains a school of engineering, such as Pomona College, and Oberlin College, among others.

Students in 3-2 engineering programs are required to complete pre-engineering requirements and maintain the minimum GPA requirements. The time of application and the date when each bachelor’s degree is awarded also vary amongst these programs.

When a student fits certain requirements and the liberal arts college gives its permission, the engineering school may automatically admit them. Other times, the engineering school analyzes applications.

Pomona College also offers a 2-1-1-1 alternative, in which students spend their first two and fourth years in their home school to return for senior year.

The Benefits of a 3-2 Engineering Program

A 3-2 program is an excellent alternative to traditional courses. Students in a 3-2 program typically begin at a small college or university and work toward earning dual degrees. They have access to the same curriculum but are dedicated to working with a smaller number of professors to address their specific career goals.

During their final two years of study, engineering students in the 3-2 program have access to the resources of a bigger university. This allows them to participate in a challenging and more selective engineering program.

And last, a two-year concentrated, rigorous engineering curriculum followed by three years of a comprehensive liberal arts education might be highly appealing to companies. Students that finish 3-2 programs are schooled in highly technical engineering principles and writing, critical thinking, and communication skills. With STEM and creativity working together, there may be many opportunities in the dynamic job market.

A bachelor’s degree in engineering is an excellent starting point for a career in architecture, aerospace design, network administration, and a host of other rapidly innovating fields. As an engineering major, you’ll study foundational STEM topics like physics and calculus alongside your area of concentration. You can choose from an extremely wide range of applications, from civil engineering and systems engineering to software engineering and environmental engineering. The best schools for engineering are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of engineering concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Degree popularity: Engineering bachelor’s degrees are the 12th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics, ranking much higher for men – 5th. It’s most popular among White and Asian men, for whom it ranks 5th and 9th respectively, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics

Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering can open numerous professional doors. You could design navigational systems for commercial airliners, design the public transportation system for a major city, or oversee safety for a local electrical power station. As an engineering major, you’ll get to choose an area to apply your skills. Whether you plan to design engines, produce software innovations, develop self-driving cars, or help design the office building of the future, a degree in engineering is an important first step. The best schools for engineering will put you in a position to become an innovator and a leader in this exciting field.

Today, top influencers in engineering are breaking new ground in areas such as gene editing, artificial intelligence, global risk consulting, and much more.

Engineering is a popular major because it can provide a pathway into countless fields and career opportunities. If you’re looking for a well-paying and secure job, an engineering degree is a great place to start. According to the BLS, the engineering sector is expected to add roughly 74,800 new jobs by 2029. Much of this growth is concentrated in areas of innovation such as infrastructure rebuilding, renewable energy, robotics, and more. Majoring in engineering could qualify you to work in one of these rapidly advancing industries.

Once you’ve declared your major in engineering, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of STEM-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized engineering electives, there are a number of common courses that most engineering majors will be required to take, including:

Engineering Principles
Mathematical Operations
Linear circuits
Surveying Principles
Calculus
Physics
Differential Equations
Industrial Systems
Mechanics, Electricity, and Magnetism

Earning a degree in engineering can qualify you for a number of well-paying jobs. Engineering skills are highly valued in the labor market. In fact, a high percentage of CEO’s from Fortune 500 companies hold an engineering degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, the median annual wage for architecture and engineering occupations was $81,440. This compares very favorably to the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810. The following are among the most popular jobs for Engineering majors:

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in engineering.

How do we determine the best engineering liberal arts colleges?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Ranking: Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees

Go to all Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering programs

The Best Engineering Schools in Your State

Learn More About Engineering

If you want to know more about engineering, then check out our related content:

Learn how to major in engineering
Think about your next step and what you can do with a master’s degree in engineering
Learn more about engineering from our interviews with influential engineers
Find out who are the most influential egineers today

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges Engineering Programs

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Exploring Engineering Colleges in the US

Benefits of Engineering Majors at Liberal Arts Colleges

The 3-2 Dual Degree Programs

The Benefits of a 3-2 Engineering Program

Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering Bachelor’s Degrees

What can I do with an engineering major?

Is engineering a good major?

What courses will I take as an engineering major?

What jobs can I do with an engineering major?

Ranking: Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Engineering Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

USNA Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

West Point Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Cooper Union Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Harvey Mudd College Engineering Major:

Most Influential Alumni

USAFA Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Swarthmore College Engineering Major Specializations:

Most Influential Alumni

Cal Poly Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Pomona College Pre-Engineering Programs:

Most Influential Alumni

CMC Engineering Major:

Most Influential Alumni

Union College Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Bucknell University Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Manhattan College Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

USCGA Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

USMMA Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

SFSU Engineering Major Concentrations:

Most Influential Alumni

Smith College Engineering Major:

Most Influential Alumni

Bates College Engineering Major:

Most Influential Alumni

Pitzer College Engineering Major:

Most Influential Alumni

Lafayette College Engineering Majors/Concentrations:

Most Influential Alumni

CSULB Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Virginia Military Institute Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

University of Portland Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

College of Charleston Engineering Major Concentrations:

College of Charleston’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Most Influential Alumni

Tuskegee University Engineering Majors:

Most Influential Alumni

Oberlin College Engineering Major:

The Best Engineering Schools in Your State

Learn More About Engineering