Top 10 Engineering Universities in the USA (2025)

Engineering education remains one of the most sought-after and prestigious academic paths today. At ED-EX.com, we’ve compiled a list of the top engineering universities in the USA — institutions whose graduates are in consistently high demand and enjoy rising starting salaries.

Let’s start with some statistics:

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in engineering and architecture is growing faster than the average for all occupations. Each year, around 195,000 new job openings become available — driven by industry growth and the need to replace retiring professionals.

• Engineers earn significantly more than the national average: as of May 2024, the median annual wage for engineers was $97,310, nearly double the median for all professions ($49,500).

• The BLS projects a 9% increase in demand for engineering jobs by 2033 — well above the national average. Some areas are growing even faster, including industrial engineering (+12%) and IT-related roles such as software developers and computer scientists (+21–25%).

• Along with demand, salaries are rising too. Graduates from the best engineering universities in the US in 2025 are expected to receive some of the highest starting salaries: around $78,700 for bachelor’s degree holders and $94,000 for master’s graduates in engineering. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), average starting salaries for master’s-level engineers increased by 12.5% year-over-year.

USA Universities Engineering Ranking: Top 10 for 2025:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Stanford University
3. University of California, Berkeley
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
5. California Institute of Technology
6. Purdue University
7. Carnegie Mellon University
8. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Grainger)
9. University of Texas at Austin (Cockrell School)
10. University of California, San Diego (Jacobs School)

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Type: Private research university

Cost (2025–2026): Estimated full annual cost: ~$89,340 (including tuition, housing, meals, insurance, and fees). MIT offers generous financial aid: starting in Fall 2025, families earning under $200,000 per year pay only for room and board, while those earning under $100,000 pay nothing at all.

About the university:

Founded in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology consistently leads the list of top engineering universities in the USA — and the world. MIT has held the #1 spot in the global QS World University Rankings for 14 consecutive years (2012–2025).

MIT is also ranked #1 in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best universities in the USA for engineering, out of 198 evaluated institutions.

Engineering is at the heart of MIT: about 55% of students are enrolled in engineering-related majors. The university offers over 20 undergraduate and graduate engineering programs across 8 academic departments and two interdisciplinary institutes (Biological Engineering and Nuclear Science).

Available fields of study include:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Biological Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Engineering and Sustainable Development (ESD)
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nuclear Science and Engineering

Many of these are also offered as interdisciplinary or hybrid programs — giving students flexibility in shaping their academic path.

2. Stanford University

Location: Palo Alto, California (Silicon Valley), USA

Type: Private research university

Cost (2025–2026): The total estimated annual cost is around $96,513, which includes tuition ($67,731), room and board ($22,167), student fees, health insurance, books, and personal expenses.

About the university:

Stanford University ranks second among the top engineering universities in the USA — thanks to its renowned Stanford School of Engineering, which is considered one of the best US universities for engineering. The school includes:

• 10 specialized departments, such as Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Materials Science, and Management Science & Engineering
• 6 interdisciplinary programs, including Bioengineering, Energy Resources Engineering, Engineering Physics, and Design

Undergraduates can choose from 16 pre-designed majors or create an Individually Designed Major tailored to their academic goals — a unique offering among the top US universities engineering schools.

3. University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

Location: Berkeley, California, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): For international students, the estimated cost ranges from $60,000 to $70,000 per year (including tuition, housing, meals, insurance, and fees).

About the university:

UC Berkeley is consistently ranked among the top 10 engineering universities in the USA — and globally — and holds the distinction of being the #1 public university in the United States for engineering, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Its College of Engineering ranks third nationally and is known for its world-class faculty and research output. The university offers a broad selection of undergraduate programs, with particularly strong performance in the following areas:

— Environmental Engineering (ranked #1)

— Electrical Engineering (ranked #1)

— Computer Science (ranked #2)

— Chemical Engineering (ranked #2)

— Civil Engineering (ranked #2)

UC Berkeley also offers a prestigious Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (M.E.T.) program, where students graduate with two Bachelor of Science degrees — one in engineering and one in business administration — positioning them for leadership in both tech and business sectors.

4. Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): For international students, tuition is approximately $31,370 per year (non-resident rate), plus mandatory student fees ($1,546). The total estimated cost — including housing, meals, insurance, textbooks, and personal expenses — is around $57,000–$58,000 per year.

About the university:

Founded in 1885, Georgia Tech is one of the top engineering universities in the USA. Its College of Engineering is one of the largest in the country and includes 8 schools, notably the world-renowned George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering.

At the undergraduate level, students can choose from 11 engineering disciplines:

— Aerospace Engineering

— Biomedical Engineering

— Chemical Engineering

— Civil Engineering

— Computer Engineering

— Electrical Engineering

— Environmental Engineering

— Industrial Engineering

— Materials Engineering

— Mechanical Engineering

— Nuclear Engineering

Georgia Tech consistently ranks among the top 5 best US universities for engineering. According to U.S. News & World Report, it is ranked #4 overall and #2 among public institutions in 2025. All 11 of its undergraduate engineering programs were ranked in the national top 9 — making it a leader in USA universities engineering ranking.

5. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Location: Pasadena, California, USA

Type: Private research university

Cost (2025–2026): The total cost of attendance for international students is around $94,000 per year. This includes tuition ($65,622), mandatory fees ($2,586), on-campus housing ($12,000–15,200), meals, textbooks, and personal expenses.

About the university:

Caltech is a small but prestigious institution — widely considered one of the best engineering universities in the US.

With only about 1,000 undergraduate students, Caltech offers an impressive student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 3:1. While its curriculum is academically rigorous, it has a strong research focus: 91% of undergraduates participate in research projects starting in their first year, through the SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships) program.

Students can choose from 28 undergraduate majors across six academic divisions, including Engineering & Applied Science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biological Engineering, and more. Popular majors include Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering.

Caltech is also renowned for its academic community: among its faculty and alumni are 48 Nobel Laureates — a testament to its place among the top US universities engineering schools.

6. Purdue University

Location: West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): Tuition and fees for non-resident students are $30,844 per year. Housing and meals cost around $11,650 (on-campus) or approximately $12,400 (off-campus). Additional expenses for books, transportation, and personal needs range from $5,400 to $6,000. The total annual cost of attendance is estimated at $47,900–$50,000.

About the university:

Purdue University’s College of Engineering is one of the largest and best engineering universities in the US. It offers bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs in more than a dozen disciplines, including aerospace, electrical, mechanical, biological, biomedical, nuclear, and computer engineering.

Purdue’s engineering programs consistently rank among the top 10 engineering universities in the USA, according to U.S. News & World Report. As of 2025, Purdue ranks 4th among all doctorate-granting engineering universities in the US.

Fun fact: Purdue is often called the "Cradle of Astronauts" — 27 astronauts have graduated from the university, including Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the Moon.

7. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Type: Private research university

Cost (2025–2026): Tuition is $67,020 per year, with mandatory student fees of $1,756. On-campus housing is approximately $11,250, and meal plans cost $7,644. Additional expenses (books, insurance, personal) are estimated at $3,000. Total estimated cost for international students: $90,070 per year.

About the university:

Carnegie Mellon University is internationally recognized as one of the best universities in the USA for engineering, with a strong focus on both academic and applied research. The CMU College of Engineering includes seven departments, such as Applied Physics, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Engineering & Public Policy.

CMU also offers unique interdisciplinary opportunities, notably through its Robotics Institute — one of the oldest and largest robotics research centers in the world (established in 1979). The university also houses the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) — a federally funded research center specializing in software development and cybersecurity.

With its emphasis on computer science, robotics, and cutting-edge engineering, CMU ranks among the top US universities engineering schools and maintains a strong presence in the USA universities engineering ranking every year.

8. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Grainger College of Engineering)

Location: Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): Tuition and mandatory fees for international students range from $39,392 to $49,742 per year. Room and board costs are approximately $15,184, with an additional $1,200 for books and materials and around $2,840 in personal expenses. Total annual cost: $58,600–$69,000.

About the university:

The Grainger College of Engineering at UIUC ranks 8th among the top engineering universities in the USA. It is recognized across multiple disciplines — 12 of its engineering programs and 8 in computer science are ranked in the top 10 in the USA universities engineering ranking, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Grainger is known for its exceptional research environment, with around 450 full-time faculty members and 77 professors ranked in the global top 3% by citation metrics. More than 94% of Grainger’s graduate students secure employment within six months of graduation, with an impressive average starting salary of $96,766.

9. University of Texas at Austin — Cockrell School of Engineering

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): Estimated at $49,862 for tuition plus about $20,500 for living expenses and personal costs. Total: approximately $70,362 per year for international students.

About the university:

The Cockrell School of Engineering is one of the largest engineering colleges in the country. With more than 8,500 students and 297 faculty members, it offers 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate/Ph.D. programs. UT Austin is frequently included among the best US universities for engineering.

According to U.S. News & World Report, its undergraduate engineering programs rank 10th nationwide, and its graduate programs are even stronger — ranked 4th in the country.

The average starting salary for Cockrell bachelor’s graduates is $87,000, placing the school firmly among the top US universities engineering leaders.

10. University of California — San Diego (Jacobs School of Engineering)

Location: La Jolla, San Diego, California, USA

Type: Public research university

Cost (2025–2026): Annual tuition for non-resident and international students is $47,130, with room and board estimated at $21,933, plus approximately $5,500 in additional expenses. Total yearly cost: about $74,500.

About the university:

The Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego rounds out our list of the top 10 engineering universities in the USA. It is one of the largest public engineering schools in the nation, enrolling around 5,900 undergraduates and 3,000 graduate students. Approximately 25% of graduate students and 5% of undergrads are international.

Jacobs School offers 12 undergraduate, 7 master’s, and 7 Ph.D. programs across six departments:

• Bioengineering
• Chemical & Nano Engineering
• Computer Science & Engineering
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
• Structural Engineering

Ranked 11th among engineering universities in the US by U.S. News, Jacobs School is especially strong in biomedical, computer, and aerospace engineering — making it one of the best universities in the USA for engineering.