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 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 degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction 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. Whether 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 of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords 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 asynchronous, 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 Research Universities for Engineering Degrees

Q: 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 and make walks across campus more fun. 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.

Badge for BEST FOR ENGINEERING RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Dr. Winston Ewert and Dr. James Barham

Updated: Nov 27, 2023

The best engineering research universities 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 Research Universities engineering Programs

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University
Harvard University
University of California, Berkeley
Columbia University
Princeton University
Yale University
University of Pennsylvania
Cornell University
California Institute of Technology

Harvard University
University of California, Berkeley
Columbia University
University of Chicago
Stanford University
Yale University
Princeton University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Michigan
Cornell University

University of Texas at Austin 27%
University of Florida 24%
University of Michigan 16%
Georgia Tech 14%
Carnegie Mellon University 12%
University of Notre Dame 11%
University of California, Berkeley 11%
University of Southern California 10%
New York University 9%
University of California, Los Angeles 9%

University of Texas at Austin 18 to 1
University of California, Los Angeles 18 to 1
Georgia Tech 18 to 1
University of California, Berkeley 18 to 1
University of Florida 16 to 1
University of Michigan 11 to 1
University of Notre Dame 9 to 1
University of Southern California 9 to 1
Cornell University 9 to 1
University of Pennsylvania 8 to 1

University of Southern California $75,162
Brown University $74,650
Columbia University $74,180
University of Chicago $73,962
Duke University $72,795
Cornell University $72,270
University of Pennsylvania $71,236
Northwestern University $70,589
Yale University $69,900
Carnegie Mellon University $68,776

University of Southern California $66,640
Brown University $65,656
University of Chicago $65,145
Johns Hopkins University $62,840
Duke University $62,620
University of Notre Dame $62,030
California Institute of Technology $60,816
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $59,750
Princeton University $59,710
Stanford University $58,746

University of Florida
University of Notre Dame
New York University
Northwestern University
Brown University
University of Texas at Austin
Rice University
Georgia Tech
Duke University
University of Chicago

Georgia Tech
Rice University
University of Florida
University of Notre Dame
Brown University
Carnegie Mellon University
Northwestern University
University of Texas at Austin
University of Southern California
Duke University

California Institute of Technology 3%
Stanford University 4%
Harvard University 4%
Yale University 4%
Columbia University 4%
University of Chicago 4%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 5%
Princeton University 5%
Brown University 5%
University of Pennsylvania 5%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3 to 1
California Institute of Technology 3 to 1
University of Chicago 5 to 1
Carnegie Mellon University 5 to 1
Princeton University 5 to 1
Yale University 6 to 1
Columbia University 6 to 1
Brown University 6 to 1
Stanford University 6 to 1
Johns Hopkins University 6 to 1

University of Florida $6,381
University of Texas at Austin $11,656
Georgia Tech $12,008
University of California, Los Angeles $15,729
University of California, Berkeley $17,198
University of Michigan $18,346
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $64,730
Harvard University $64,796
Princeton University $65,510
New York University $65,622

University of Florida $10,770
University of Texas at Austin $12,012
University of California, Los Angeles $12,264
University of California, Berkeley $12,264
Georgia Tech $14,064
University of Michigan $27,192
Cornell University $29,500
New York University $38,826
University of Pennsylvania $41,544
Yale University $48,300

Table of Contents

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, for whom it is the 5th most popular degree. It’s most popular among white and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders men, for whom it ranks 5th and 9th respectively, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics

Featured Programs

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 and make walks across campus more fun. 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 degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction 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. Whether 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 of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords 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 asynchronous, 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 liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in engineering.

How do we determine the best engineering research universities?

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 Research Universities for Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Engineering Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Engineering

Degree Level: Bachelor's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,071
Avg. Expenses*: $18,632
Avg. Starting Salary*: $67,438
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $80,449
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 8 years
Job Growth: 5.03%
Number of Jobs: 161,100
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	5.52%	$165,370
Engineers, All Other	5.03%	$111,970
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	9.22%	$106,910

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers	$165,370
Engineers, All Other	$111,970
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary	$106,910

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Go to all Research Universities 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

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees

Top 10 Research Universities engineering Programs

Featured Programs

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 Research Universities for Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

MIT Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Stanford University

Most Influential Alumni

Stanford University Engineering Majors:

Stanford University Interdepartmental Major Programs in Engineering:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Harvard University

Most Influential Alumni

Harvard University Engineering Major:

Harvard University Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of California, Berkeley

Most Influential Alumni

UC Berkeley Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Columbia University

Most Influential Alumni

Columbia University Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Princeton University

Most Influential Alumni

Princeton University Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Yale University

Most Influential Alumni

Yale University Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of Pennsylvania

Most Influential Alumni

University of Pennsylvania Bachelor of Science in Engineering:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Cornell University

Most Influential Alumni

Cornell University Engineering Major Programs:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at California Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

CalTech Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of Michigan

Most Influential Alumni

University of Michigan Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Carnegie Mellon University

Most Influential Alumni

CMU Biomedical Engineering Areas of Research:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of Southern California

Most Influential Alumni

USC Engineering Major Disciplines:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of California, Los Angeles

Most Influential Alumni

UCLA Engineering Programs:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Johns Hopkins University

Most Influential Alumni

Johns Hopkins Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of Chicago

Most Influential Alumni

University of Chicago Engineering Major:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Duke University

Most Influential Alumni

Duke University Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Georgia Tech

Most Influential Alumni

Georgia Tech Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Rice University

Most Influential Alumni

Rice University Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at University of Texas at Austin

Most Influential Alumni

UT Austin Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Brown University

Most Influential Alumni

Brown University Engineering Major Concentrations:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at Northwestern University

Most Influential Alumni

Northwestern University Engineering Majors:

Career Outlook for Engineering degree at New York University

Most Influential Alumni

NYU Engineering Majors: