Best Undergraduate Engineering Program Rankings

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, located in Terre Haute, Ind., offers a number of activities and organizations to help students get involved on campus. There are more than 80 student clubs, ranging from the EcoCAR challenge team to the Rose-Hulman Drama Club. Other prominent performance groups include the chorus and jazz band. There is a significant Greek system on campus comprising more than 40 percent of the student body. Rose-Hulman fields a number of NCAA Division III athletic teams, including football, basketball, soccer, and cross country. The Sports and Recreation Center, a state-of-the-art athletic facility, serves as a center of student activity and as the summer training camp for the NFL Indianapolis Colts. Rose-Hulman provides housing to all students in its residence halls.Rose-Hulman specializes in science, engineering, and mathematics. In addition to its undergraduate programs, RHIT grants master of science degrees in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, engineering management, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, and optical engineering. Rose-Hulman Ventures, located on campus in a Certified Technology Park, gives students the opportunity to work on real-world projects from a variety of technology-based companies. Nearly all of Rose-Hulman faculty have Ph.D. degrees, and about 20 percent of students go directly to graduate school after receiving their bachelor’s degree.

Harvey Mudd College is a private liberal arts school known for its strong programs in math, science, and engineering. Harvey Mudd is located in Claremont, Calif., about 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is located in Needham, Mass., just 14 miles west of Boston and next to the campus of Babson College. Nearly all students live on campus in either of the two residence halls, which offer housing in traditional doubles or suites. Olin’s "Passionate Pursuits" program enables students to pursue their interests with guidance from a faculty sponsor and funding from the college; some examples include scuba certification, Irish dance, and jazz improvisation. There are also a number of student clubs and organizations ranging from an AntiGravity Club to the Olin Dance Project. Central to Olin’s community of trust is the Honor Code, which dictates that students must act with honor and integrity.Olin’s academic curriculum is based on the "Olin Triangle," a focus on science and engineering fundamentals, entrepreneurship, and the liberal arts. Students can choose from three majors: electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, or engineering, which encompasses bioengineering, computing, materials science, and systems. SCOPE (Senior Capstone Program in Engineering) is a required yearlong program during which seniors complete an engineering project sponsored by a reputable engineering or technology client. Olin offers students a wider range of courses in business, natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities through its educational partnerships with Babson College, Wellesley College, and Brandeis University.

The United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, is the oldest of the country’s five federal service academies. The public school is located in West Point, N.Y., where graduates earn a bachelor of science degree and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army.

The United States Naval Academy is a public school located in the waterfront town of Annapolis, Maryland. Students, known as midshipmen, are officers in training, and tuition is fully funded by the U.S. Navy in return for active-duty service after graduation.

The United States Air Force Academy, commonly called Air Force, is a military service academy located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colo., about 60 miles from Denver. Students at Air Force, called cadets, adhere to a strict daily schedule that does not allow for much free time, though there are a number of extracurricular clubs and activities. Incoming cadets attend a five-week training program intended to prepare them for military life. Cadets are required to participate in athletics — either intercollegiate or intramural — and must pass a fitness test every semester. The Fighting Falcons, Air Force’s athletic teams, compete in NCAA’s Division I and are known for their traditional rivalries with fellow service academies Army and Navy.Academics at Air Force center on a core curriculum that all cadets must complete. Although the core curriculum comprises the majority of the academic experience, cadets must also choose a specialized field of study from more than 30 possible majors. Military training continues throughout the four years at Air Force, including courses and instruction in aviation and airmanship. Air Force, like the other service academies, is governed by an honor code that states: "We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." Distinguished alumni include Gregg Popovich, head coach of the NBA San Antonio Spurs, and Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot made famous for safely landing a commercial flight in the Hudson River near New York City in 2009.

Bucknell University, located in the small town of Lewisburg, Pa., is conveniently situated about three hours from New York, Washington and Philadelphia. Nearly 90 percent of undergraduates live on campus in traditional residence halls, substance-free housing or small house communities, among other options. With more than 150 clubs and organizations on campus, students can participate in a wide range of activities. There is sizable Greek community on campus comprising more than half of sophomores, juniors and seniors. The Bucknell Bison, as the school’s athletic teams are called, field more than 25 varsity teams in the NCAA Division I Patriot League. Bucknell’s athletic facilities include an Olympic-sized pool, 18-hole golf course and state-of-the-art fitness center.Bucknell is divided into the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and the College of Management. The undergraduate curriculum is guided by a liberal arts core, and students can choose from more than 50 majors including professional programs in education, engineering, management and music. About 40 percent of students at Bucknell take advantage of more than 130 study-abroad programs. Bucknell traditions include the Chrysalis Ball, an annual student/faculty/staff gala, and First Night, an event held each fall to celebrate the successful completion of freshman students’ first semester.

Just a 30-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean, California Polytechnic State University is located 200 miles from both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Although Cal Poly students can choose from nearly 70 degrees, engineering is the most popular major, with 50 student organizations dedicated specifically to that field.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to as Cooper Union, is located in New York's East Village neighborhood. The institution is made up of three schools: the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, the School of Art and the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. All three schools are connected by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, which teaches a core curriculum to all students. Cooper Union has a number of student organizations, ranging from special interest groups, such as the Culinary Society and the Outdoors Club, to religious and performance groups. The school also fields several intercollegiate athletic teams, including men's and women's basketball, soccer and tennis.

Milwaukee School of Engineering, known as MSOE, is located in downtown Milwaukee next to both the historic East Town and the Theater District and just a few blocks from Lake Michigan. Student organizations at MSOE fall into one of seven categories: government, Greek, honors societies, professional, religious, service, and special interest. Intramural sports, including football, volleyball, broomball, and dodgeball, are popular activities among students. MSOE’s varsity athletic teams, the Raiders, compete in NCAA Division III sports. The Kern Center athletic facility houses an ice rink, basketball arena, indoor track, fitness center, and field house. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus in one of the three coed residence halls. Annual campus traditions include Constitution and Citizenship Week, Raider Week for school spirit, and St. Patrick’s Week.MSOE’s undergraduate bachelor’s programs are divided into six fields: architectural engineering and building construction, business, computer and software engineering and management information systems, engineering, engineering technology, and nursing and health. Within each field, students can choose a more specific concentration such as international business or biomolecular engineering. In addition to undergraduate studies, MSOE has a variety of graduate master’s programs in the business, construction, engineering, and health fields. MSOE also offers study-abroad programs through Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic; Lübeck University of Applied Sciences in Germany; and Manipal Institute of Technology in India.