Engineering Major
Mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, biomedical, software, and aerospace engineering. One of the most consistently high-paying undergraduate paths, with starting salaries that often clear $70K out of school.
Typical Earnings
$75,000 starting / $115,000 mid-career
Top Schools Below
50 ranked by program focus
Realistic career paths
Software EngineerMechanical EngineerCivil EngineerElectrical EngineerAerospace EngineerEngineering Manager
Top schools for engineering
Ranked by what share of degrees the school awards in this field. A high % means the school is genuinely focused on this major, not just listing it as a program.
| School | Location | % in Engineering | Net Price | 10-yr Earnings | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines Public | Golden, CO | 72% | $28,690 | $95,600 | 61% |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering Private | Milwaukee, WI | 64% | $22,453 | $71,100 | 59% |
| United States Coast Guard Academy Public | New London, CT | 43% | — | — | 22% |
| Florida Institute of Technology Private | Melbourne, FL | 38% | $35,639 | $61,200 | 58% |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Private | Prescott, AZ | 35% | $40,287 | $70,300 | 77% |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach Private | Daytona Beach, FL | 34% | $41,272 | $70,300 | 65% |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville Public | Huntsville, AL | 32% | $18,796 | $52,000 | 69% |
| California Institute of Technology Private | Pasadena, CA | 31% | $16,075 | $106,300 | 3% |
| Southern Technical College For-profit | Fort Myers, FL | 30% | $21,171 | $28,200 | — |
| Harvey Mudd College Private | Claremont, CA | 30% | $35,924 | $104,200 | 13% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh Public | Raleigh, NC | 24% | $17,303 | $59,500 | 42% |
| Ohio Northern University Private | Ada, OH | 22% | $24,478 | $72,600 | 74% |
| Iowa State University Public | Ames, IA | 21% | $18,589 | $56,000 | 89% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Public | San Luis Obispo, CA | 21% | $16,665 | $74,300 | 31% |
| Oregon Institute of Technology Public | Klamath Falls, OR | 19% | $15,706 | $57,800 | 95% |
| Bradley University Private | Peoria, IL | 18% | $23,572 | $58,300 | 77% |
| Northeastern University Private | Boston, MA | 18% | $30,915 | $74,200 | 5% |
| University of Tulsa Private | Tulsa, OK | 16% | $15,000 | $60,500 | 62% |
| University of Toledo Public | Toledo, OH | 16% | $17,249 | $52,800 | 92% |
| Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Public | Bend, OR | 16% | $18,048 | $56,700 | 63% |
| Oregon State University Public | Corvallis, OR | 16% | $19,604 | $56,700 | 77% |
| Tuskegee University Private | Tuskegee, AL | 15% | $35,013 | $42,200 | 49% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus Public | Columbus, OH | 15% | $17,339 | $53,600 | 61% |
| University at Buffalo Public | Buffalo, NY | 14% | $20,995 | $62,100 | 74% |
| University of Colorado Boulder Public | Boulder, CO | 14% | $25,346 | $59,700 | 78% |
| University of Florida Public | Gainesville, FL | 14% | $6,541 | $65,700 | 24% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Public | Ann Arbor, MI | 14% | $13,138 | $79,000 | 16% |
| Cornell University Private | Ithaca, NY | 13% | $28,690 | $101,200 | 9% |
| Montana State University Public | Bozeman, MT | 13% | $22,499 | $48,900 | 82% |
| University of California-Berkeley Public | Berkeley, CA | 13% | $13,481 | $79,000 | 11% |
| San Jose State University Public | San Jose, CA | 13% | $13,760 | $63,800 | 85% |
| Kennesaw State University Public | Kennesaw, GA | 12% | $15,048 | $47,900 | 69% |
| West Virginia University Public | Morgantown, WV | 12% | $15,634 | $52,700 | 89% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Public | Pittsburgh, PA | 12% | $30,434 | $61,200 | 58% |
| University of Hartford Private | West Hartford, CT | 12% | $30,282 | $51,700 | 96% |
| University of California-San Diego Public | La Jolla, CA | 12% | $12,470 | $69,600 | 27% |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Public | Cincinnati, OH | 11% | $25,648 | $49,700 | 85% |
| University of Connecticut Public | Storrs, CT | 11% | $25,097 | $66,000 | 52% |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Public | Stillwater, OK | 11% | $17,447 | $55,300 | 75% |
| Caribbean University-Bayamon Private | Bayamon, PR | 10% | $4,665 | $21,400 | — |
| University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Public | Norman, OK | 10% | $15,300 | $61,900 | 77% |
| The University of Alabama Public | Tuscaloosa, AL | 10% | $22,420 | $51,600 | 77% |
| Wright State University-Lake Campus Public | Celina, OH | 10% | $11,081 | $46,100 | — |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Public | Baton Rouge, LA | 10% | $19,151 | $60,100 | 73% |
| University of Kansas Public | Lawrence, KS | 9% | $18,059 | $59,300 | 93% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout Public | Menomonie, WI | 9% | $17,490 | $48,700 | 88% |
| Washington State University Public | Pullman, WA | 9% | $14,971 | $56,600 | 87% |
| California State University-Long Beach Public | Long Beach, CA | 9% | $10,440 | $53,000 | 46% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins Public | Fort Collins, CO | 9% | $21,279 | $53,400 | 89% |
| University of California-Davis Public | Davis, CA | 9% | $14,741 | $68,100 | 42% |
What this ranking is and isn't
What it is: A list of schools where engineering is actually a focus area, ranked by what % of degrees fall in this field. If you want to be surrounded by people studying the same thing, this list is what you want.
What it isn't: A prestige ranking. MIT might have an outstanding engineering program but rank low here if the school awards more degrees in other fields. For program quality alone, look at faculty research output, employer recruiting, and graduate outcomes — not the share of degrees.