RANKING THE SCHOOLS

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs

Think your future lies in engineering? On these pages, youll find the U.S. News rankings of undergraduate programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The rankings are based solely on a spring 2008 peer survey of deans and senior faculty that asked them to rate each program they are familiar with on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (distinguished). On the next page are programs at engineering schools that offer doctorates, which often means a wider range of offerings at the undergraduate level. Students who prefer a program focused on undergraduates can use the list of top programs below at schools whose terminal degree is the bachelors or masters. Forty-three percent of those surveyed returned ratings of the group below; 56 percent did so in the doctorate group. Respondents were also asked to name the best programs in specialty areas; the five schools mentioned most often in each category appear here.

Best Programs
Rank School (*Public) Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

AT ENGINEERING SCHOOLS WHOSE HIGHEST DEGREE IS A BACHELORS OR MASTERS

Rank School (*Public)

Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

Rank School (*Public)

Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 6. 8. 8. 10. 11. 12. 12. 12. 12. 12. 17.

Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) Harvey Mudd College (CA) Cooper Union (NY) Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* United States Military Academy (NY)* Franklin W. Olin Col. of Eng. (MA) United States Naval Academy (MD)* Bucknell University (PA) U.S. Air Force Academy (CO)* Villanova University (PA) Milwaukee School of Engineering Calif. State Poly. Univ.Pomona* Embry Riddle Aeronautical U. (FL) Rowan University (NJ)* San Jose State University (CA)* Swarthmore College (PA) Kettering University (MI)

4.5 4.4 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3

17. 17. 17. 21. 21. 21. 21. 21. 21. 27. 27. 27. 27. 27. 27. 27. 34.

Lafayette College (PA) Smith College (MA) Union College (NY) Baylor University (TX) Gonzaga University (WA) Santa Clara University (CA) U.S. Coast Guard Academy (CT)* University of San Diego Virginia Military Institute* Bradley University (IL) Embry Riddle Aero. U.Prescott (AZ) Loyola Marymount University (CA) Trinity University (TX) Univ. of Colo.Colorado Springs* University of Portland (OR) Valparaiso University (IN) California State U.Los Angeles*

3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.0

34. 34. 34. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38.

The Citadel (SC)* U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (NY)* University of MichiganDearborn* Boise State University (ID)* California State U.Long Beach* California State U.Northridge* LeTourneau University (TX) Manhattan College (NY) Mercer University (GA) Miami UniversityOxford (OH)* Northern Arizona University* Ohio Northern University Seattle University St. Louis University Texas Christian University Univ. of MassachusettsDartmouth*

3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9

Specialties
AEROSPACE/AERONAUTICAL/ ASTRONAUTICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Embry Riddle Aeronautical U. (FL) U.S. Air Force Academy (CO)* Embry Riddle Aero. U.Prescott (AZ) United States Naval Academy (MD)* Cal PolySan Luis Obispo*

AT SCHOOLS WHOSE HIGHEST DEGREE IS A BACHELORS OR MASTERS (*Public)

4. Cooper Union (NY) 5. Bucknell University (PA)

INDUSTRIAL/MANUFACTURING
1. 2. 3. 3. 3. Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* Kettering University (MI) Bradley University (IL) Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) San Jose State University (CA)*

COMPUTER ENGINEERING
1. 2. 3. 4. 4. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* Harvey Mudd College (CA) Cooper Union (NY) San Jose State University (CA)*

MECHANICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* Cooper Union (NY) Harvey Mudd College (CA) Kettering University (MI)

CHEMICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 4. 4. Cooper Union (NY) Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) Rowan University (NJ)* Bucknell University (PA) Manhattan College (NY) University of MinnesotaDuluth*

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC/ COMMUNICATIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* Cooper Union (NY) Harvey Mudd College (CA) United States Naval Academy (MD)*

CIVIL
1. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) 2. Cal PolySan Luis Obispo* 2. United States Military Academy (NY)*

Note: Peer assessment survey conducted by Synovate. To be ranked in a specialty, a school must have either a program or course offerings in that subject area. Based on a recommendation from the American Society for Engineering Education, a few engineering schools with small doctoral programs were added to the bachelors and masters category.

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USN&WR AMERICAS BEST COLLEGES

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Best Programs
Rank School (*Public) Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

AT ENGINEERING SCHOOLS WHOSE HIGHEST DEGREE IS A DOCTORATE

Rank School (*Public)

Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

Rank School (*Public)

Peer assessment score (5.0=highest)

1. 2. 2. 4. 4. 4. 7. 8. 9. 9. 11. 11. 13. 14. 14. 14. 17. 17. 17. 17. 21. 21. 21. 21. 25. 25.

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Stanford University (CA) University of CaliforniaBerkeley* California Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology* U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* University of MichiganAnn Arbor* Cornell University (NY) Carnegie Mellon University (PA) Purdue Univ.West Lafayette (IN)* Princeton University (NJ) University of TexasAustin* Univ. of WisconsinMadison* Johns Hopkins University (MD) Northwestern University (IL) Virginia Tech* Pennsylvania State U.Univ. Park* Rice University (TX) Texas A&M Univ.College Station* Univ. of CaliforniaSan Diego* Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. (NY) Univ. of CaliforniaLos Angeles* Univ. of MarylandCollege Park* University of Washington* Columbia University (NY) Duke University (NC)

4.8 4.7 4.7 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.4 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.1 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6

25. 28. 28. 28. 28. 28. 28. 28. 35. 35. 35. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 38. 46. 46. 46. 49. 49. 51. 51.

Univ. of MinnesotaTwin Cities* Harvard University (MA) North Carolina State U.Raleigh* Ohio State UniversityColumbus* University of Florida* University of Pennsylvania Univ. of Southern California University of Virginia* University of CaliforniaDavis* Univ. of CaliforniaSanta Barbara* University of ColoradoBoulder* Arizona State University* Brown University (RI) Case Western Reserve Univ. (OH) Iowa State University* Lehigh University (PA) Vanderbilt University (TN) Washington University in St. Louis Yale University (CT) Dartmouth College (NH) Michigan State University* University of Notre Dame (IN)
Rutgers, St. U. of N.J.New Brunswick*

University of Arizona* Auburn University (AL)* Clemson University (SC)*

3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.0

51. 51. 51. 51. 51. 51. 51. 51. 61. 61. 61. 61. 61. 61. 61. 61. 61. 70. 70. 70. 70. 70. 70. 70. 70.

Colorado School of Mines* Drexel University (PA) Tufts University (MA) University of CaliforniaIrvine* University of Delaware* Univ. of MassachusettsAmherst* University of Pittsburgh* Worcester Polytechnic Inst. (MA) Boston University Colorado State University* Illinois Institute of Technology Kansas State University* Northeastern University (MA) SUNYStony Brook* University at BuffaloSUNY* University of IllinoisChicago* University of Iowa* Michigan Technological University* Oregon State University* Rochester Inst. of Technology (NY) University of Kansas* University of Rochester (NY) University of Tennessee* University of Utah* Washington State University*

3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.8

Specialties
AEROSPACE/AERONAUTICAL/ ASTRONAUTICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology* University of MichiganAnn Arbor* Purdue Univ.West Lafayette (IN)* California Institute of Technology

AT SCHOOLS WHOSE HIGHEST DEGREE IS A DOCTORATE (*Public)

CIVIL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Massachusetts Inst. of Technology University of TexasAustin* Georgia Institute of Technology*

ENVIRONMENTAL/ ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Stanford University (CA) U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Johns Hopkins University (MD)

COMPUTER ENGINEERING BIOLOGICAL/AGRICULTURAL

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* Cornell University (NY) Texas A&M Univ.College Station* Iowa State University* Purdue Univ.West Lafayette (IN)* University of CaliforniaDavis* 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Stanford University (CA) Carnegie Mellon University (PA) University of CaliforniaBerkeley* U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign*

INDUSTRIAL/MANUFACTURING
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Georgia Institute of Technology* University of MichiganAnn Arbor* Purdue Univ.West Lafayette (IN)* Pennsylvania State U.University Park* University of CaliforniaBerkeley*

ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC/ COMMUNICATIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Stanford University (CA) U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Georgia Institute of Technology*

MATERIALS
1. 2. 3. 4. 4. U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign* University of MichiganAnn Arbor* University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Massachusetts Inst. of Technology Northwestern University (IL)

BIOMEDICAL/BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Johns Hopkins University (MD) Duke University (NC) Georgia Institute of Technology* Univ. of CaliforniaSan Diego* Massachusetts Inst. of Technology

CHEMICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Univ. of WisconsinMadison* Univ. of MinnesotaTwin Cities* Stanford University (CA)

ENGINEERING SCIENCE/ ENGINEERING PHYSICS

1. 2. 2. 4. 4. Cornell University (NY) University of CaliforniaBerkeley* University of MichiganAnn Arbor* California Institute of Technology U. of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign*

MECHANICAL
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology University of MichiganAnn Arbor* University of CaliforniaBerkeley* Georgia Institute of Technology* Stanford University (CA)

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USN&WR AMERICAS BEST COLLEGES

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