Hang on a while with us to discover these schools and commence your school application. As it is, whatever scientists conceive, an engineer will usually be the one to bring it to life. Several innovations that changed mankind came about through engineering. According to Livescience, the wheel, nail, compass, printing press, combustion engine, and telephone are the top five innovations that changed the world. Engineers were behind these innovations. There may not have been schools back in 3500 BC when the wheel was invented but inquisitiveness and some deposit of knowledge had made it possible. Technology has advanced now and you need much more than curiosity and basic principles to make outstanding innovations. Right now, you need one of the very best engineering schools. So for this reason, we present to you the best engineering schools in the world to guide you towards an outstanding engineering career.
What is Engineering?
Engineering is an umbrella that covers scientists, inventors, designers, builders, and great thinkers. According to Wikipedia, it is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items like bridges, vehicles, roads, etc. Thus, it encompasses several specialized fields in engineering, all of which places emphasis on mathematics and applied science. With all fields of engineering emphasizing mathematics and science, engineering is simply the application of maths and science to solve problems. So, an engineer is someone with sufficient knowledge and skill to figure out how things work as well as provide practical uses for scientific discoveries. Engineers are the instruments through which scientific innovations reach the world. So, to become an engineer, you have to study one discipline or more in engineering to gain knowledge and skills to bring innovations to use. Some of the knowledge and skills you’ll get from studying engineering include scientific methods, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and creativity. Do you know What Engineers Do? See these Top 11 Career Opportunities for Engineering Students
What are the Branches of Engineering?
Engineering is one of the broadest disciplines in the world and as science and technology are advancing, this discipline acquires more subdisciplines. The branches of engineering are these subdisciplines which you will study in college. Presently, According to Wikipedia, there are four main branches of engineering, two other disciplines of engineering, and the interdisciplinary engineering that makes the subdisciplines in engineering near uncountable. The four main branches of engineering are: The two other disciplines of engineering are:
Interdisciplinary Engineering
Just as the name suggests, interdisciplinary engineering draws from one or more engineering principles, branches, or practices to form its own subdiscipline. Popular interdisciplinary engineering include
What are the Educational Requirements for Engineers?
The educational requirements may vary by your chosen discipline but basically all engineering degrees will require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to become an engineer. However, your career goals or some specific area of engineering will require you to get a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in engineering.
Bachelor’s Degree (B.Eng)
This is the basic degree you need to acquire to start up a career in engineering. You will need to complete high school and passed classes in chemistry, physics, biology, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus to gain admission into the college to study an engineering program. Accredited colleges are always better than unaccredited colleges, so ensure that your program has ABET ( Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.) accreditation before selecting it. This accreditation body accredits mostly US colleges, however. Meanwhile, a typical engineering bachelor’s program will cover courses in Engineering Materials, Analytical Geometry and Calculus, Logical Design and Digital Circuits, Engineering Mathematics, General Chemistry, English Composition, American History, etc.
Master’s Degree
This expands your knowledge and skills which you acquired as an undergraduate. It usually takes two years to complete, unlike the undergraduate program which takes 4-5 years to complete depending on your country.
Doctoral Degree in Engineering
The doctoral degree takes 5-7 years to complete and is for graduates who wish to take up a career in research and engineering in the engineering field.
What Jobs Can I Get With an Engineering Degree?
Just as the subdisciplines of engineering are many, so are the jobs. The job outlook and salary for these jobs are also great. In the USA, for example, The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the mean annual wage of engineers is $91,010 and that from 2016-2026, there will be 139,300 new jobs for engineers in the country. Of this number of new jobs, 23% percent will be for civil engineers while mechanical and industrial engineers will share 36%. Let’s drive back to what you can do with an Engineering degree. Below are some of the best paying jobs for engineers.
Engineering Jobs and Salary (USA)
These are professionals design drilling methods and equipment as well as monitor drilling programs for crude oil. They are in high demand and earn $137,170 yearly in the US. They are professionals who design aircraft, spaceships, satellites, and missiles. In the USA, they earn $115,220 yearly. These are professionals from computer science who use their knowledge of engineering to build software, develop games, and run network control systems. Data science is a branch that is doing well here, and these professionals earn $105,590 yearly in the US These professionals design and develop electrical systems using the application of the physics and maths of electricity. In the USA, they earn $96,640 yearly. These professionals design, build and supervise infrastructure projects such as roads, buildings, airports, etc. Since they are very important in a nation, they earn $86,640 yearly in the USA.
Where can I study engineering?
You can study engineering at a four-year accredited university. This is because the minimum job entry-level requirement for engineers is a bachelor’s degree. So, search for one of the best accredited four-year colleges offering engineering degrees and apply for admission.
What is the most sought after engineering degree?
Engineering degrees offer rewarding pay, but some more than others. The top 5 most sought after engineering degree are:1. Automation & Robotics Engineer2. Petroleum Engineer3. Civil Engineering4. Electrical Engineering5. Alternative Energy Engineer
What are the Best Engineering Schools in the World?
If you’re yet to make your decision on what area of engineering to specialize in, we believe you found help from the information above. Now that you’ve chosen the area of engineering to study at college, what are the best universities for you? Here are the best schools in the world to study engineering:
Ranking Factors
Engineering is one of the STEM courses, so it is a pretty popular program in the world. Almost all the comprehensive university in the world offer one area of engineering or the other, so to select the best from this pile, we used the following criteria To be a top engineering school in the world, the schools have a reputation for being among the best in its country of origin and the world. Subject-wise, our ranking compares Times Higher Education(THE) and QS Top University’s ranking of Best Engineering Schools in the world. So, our best schools are not just reputable as an institution, but reputable in the subject area. This criterion looks at the vastness of the scope of the schools’ engineering school. So, we favor schools with a greater number of engineering departments, schools, academic areas, or research focus. The schools here have more than one research facility dedicated to conducting research in the field of engineering. Also, they must be making huge contributions to the advancement of engineering in the world through their research output. All the schools on our list have relevant institutional accreditation. However, we give preference to those with subject accreditation like ABET. Meanwhile, this is the least of our ranking factor as ABET, which is the most recognized accreditation body for engineering accredits mostly US College engineering programs. In any other single country of the world, they don’t recognize up to 20 of their engineering programs.
#1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology – USA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is another university in the USA renounced for its academic research in science and technology. This American university began in 1861 as a private university in Cambridge and has 11,574 total number of students as of Fall enrollment of 2018. What resounds in the minds of academics all over the world when you talk about MIT is its innovation and academic strengths. Confirming MIT’s innovation, which is one important aspect of engineering, QS ranks MIT’s school of engineering as the number 1 in the world. THE, on the other hand, ranks MIT’s School of Engineering 6th in the world. MIT’s School of Engineering works with the watchword, “We turn off our ‘NO’ switch.” Hence, every scientific idea which you can conceive can be made a reality at MIT, just like “Moon Shots” which the school helped accomplish. So, in addition to 10 dedicated engineering departments, MIT’s School of Engineering also has 45 centers, institutes, and laboratories. Meanwhile, MIT’s engineering departments are Aeronautics and Astronautics; Biological Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Institute for Data, Systems, and Society; Institute for Medical Engineering and Science; Materials Science and Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Nuclear Science and Engineering. Because studying at MIT is expensive, you’ll definitely need these MIT Scholarships Opportunities
#2. Stanford University – USA
Stanford University needs no introduction. This USA university usually turns up in conversation concerning top schools in the USA and in the world. It is a private university in the USA with a total number of 17,249 students. It began as a private university in 1891 in Stanford, California and has a reputation for its academic achievements, wealth, close proximity to Silicon Valley, and selectivity. While holding a high rating in the world for its research contributions to various fields of study, Stanford’s School of engineering also has high recognition in the world. THE ranks this school as the first in the world and QS supports this by ranking it second in the world for engineering. Also, when it comes to institutes, labs, and centers supporting science and engineering, many schools can’t come close to Stanford. Stanford’s School of Engineering has 5 institutes and 55 labs and centers. In addition to this, Stanford’s School of Engineering has 9 departments offering engineering degree programs. They are Aeronautics & Astronautics; Bioengineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil & Environmental Engineering; Computer Science; Electrical Engineering; Management Science & Engineering; Material Science & Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering. If Electrical Engineering is the branch of engineering you’re interested in, then see 13 best electrical engineering schools in the World
#3. University of Cambridge – The UK
The University of Cambridge is one UK university you can trust to get the best Engineering degree in the world. Cambridge is an old university in the UK which began in 1209. Cambridge’s academic standards, history, influence, and wealth earn the University of Cambridge a large reputation in the world.
THE supports the University of Cambridge’s claim as one of the Engineering Research giants in the world by ranking it 3rd in the world. QS also recognizes Cambridge as the 4th university in the world to get the best Engineering degree.
Backing up this ranking is Cambridge’s unique academic division of engineering. these divisions include Energy, Fluid Mechanics & Turbomachinery; Electrical Engineering; Mechanics, Materials and Design; Civil Engineering; Manufacturing and Management; and Information Engineering.
#4. ETH Zurich – Switzerland
Before we discuss Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland, you should know something about Switzerland. Switzerland records some of the world’s most famous and fascinating inventions. Velcro, the Swizz Army Knife, Potato Peeler, and Edible Gold Chocolate, they all are Switzerland’s inventions. So you see why we have ETH Zurich on our list? ETH Zurich is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university in Zurich which began in 1855 and has 20,607 students as of 2017. Being a STEM university, it is no surprise that ETH Zurich’s Engineering holds high ranking globally. QS Top University ranks it 3rd in the world, while HE ranks it 8th. Furthermore, the university has six (6) interdisciplinary STEm research centers, including the Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center (BRNC) that as a partnership with IBM Research. So, you can get some of the best engineering bachelor’s master’s, and doctoral degree programs at ETH Zurich in any of their 10 Academic Areas. These include architecture and Civil Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Biotechnology; Electrical Engineering and Information Technology; Energy Science and Technology; Materials Science; Mechanical Engineering; Nuclear Engineering; Process Engineering; Quantum Engineering; Robotics, Systems, and Control.
#5. Imperial College London – The UK
Although people call it Imperial College London, Imperial College’s legal name is Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine. This alone speaks of the university’s reputation in STEM. Meanwhile, Imperial College London is a public university in London, the UK with a student population of over 17,000 students receiving academic instruction from 3,765 academic staff. This UK university consistently ranks as one of the top 100 universities in the world across multiple ranking bodies. Its Faculty of Engineering boasts of dedication to delivering high-quality teaching and research across all engineering disciplines. These are not mere words as Imperial College London ranks 11th in THE and 8th in QS for the best schools in the world to get an Engineering degree. Supporting this claim is its 30 research institutes and centers responsible for research contributions to science and technology. Meanwhile, Imperial College has 10 departments for engineering. They are Department of Aeronautics; Bioengineering; Chemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Computing; Dyson School of Design Engineering; Earth Science and Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Materials; and Mechanical Engineering.
#6. University of Oxford – The UK
The University of Oxford, located in Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is the second-oldest university in the world and has gained a strong reputation with its long history and research achievements. Alongside Cambridge, Oxford University offers an exclusive kind of education that differs from the normal university system in the UK. THE ranks the University of Oxford as the 5th in Engineering in the world while QS ranks it the 7th best university in the world to study Engineering. Whichever case, both ranking bodies have sufficient proof to place Oxford’s engineering school that high. Also, with 5 research institutes dedicated to advancing research in engineering, including the Oxford Robotics Institute, Oxford is one of the powerhouses for Engineering research in the UK. Meanwhile, Oxford has garnered a huge reputation for offering quality education in all the major branches of engineering as well as in emerging areas. So, you’ll find biomedical engineering and energy and the environment – which many schools aren’t offering – in Oxford. Comprehensively, The University of Oxford’s Department of Engineering has 8 research centers namely: Biomedical; Chemical and Process; Civil and Offshore; Electrical and Opto-electronic; Energy; Information, Control, and Vision; Solid Mechanics and Materials; and Thermo-Fluids and Turbomachinery. Don’t give up on your dreams to study engineering at Oxford because you’re from a developing country. Also, see these Oxford University Fully-Funded Scholarships for Developing Countries in the UK.
#7. The University of California, Berkeley – USA
The University of California, Berkeley or UC Berkeley is one of the public universities in the University of California system. It is the flagship university of the system and the oldest, founded in Berkeley CA in 1868. UC Berkeley is a large comprehensive university of 43,204 students as of the Fall of 2019. Nonetheless, the number does not go against the quality of education at Berkeley. UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering comes 5th in QS and 14th in THE’s ranking of best engineering schools in the world. You can’t take this ranking away from UC Berkeley as its college of Engineering has 17 research centers, programs, and laboratories and it is the brain of the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). At UC Berkeley, you can get some of the best engineering degrees in any of its 8 departments. These are Bioengineering; Civil & Environmental Engineering; Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences; Engineering Science; Industrial Engineering & Operations Research; Materials Science & Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Nuclear Engineering. If Civil Engineering is your field, then you need to see these 13 Best Civil Engineering Schools in the World
#8. National University of Singapore – Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is the first Singapore-owned university in Singapore. It began in 1905 and is a comprehensive university with 35,908 students and 2,555 academic staff. While ranking among the top 100 universities globally across various notable university ranking platforms, NUS is undoubtedly one of the best universities in Singapore. NUS Engineering goes with the slogan, “We Engineer Passion,” and this is exactly true as this School of Engineering ranks 9th in QS and 12th in THE for best universities for engineering in the world. NUS offers engineering programs that are the deal in the future and possesses 7 cutting-edge research facilities to advance research in engineering and science in general. NUS’s key research areas to get a quality degree include Energy; Engineering in Medicine; Hybrid Integrated Flexible Electronic System; Marine and Offshore engineering; Next Generation Port; Quantum Engineering; Robotics & Machine intelligence; Satellite Technology; and Urban Solutions & Sustainability.
#9. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore – Singapore
Nanyang Technical University (NTU) is another Singapore university on our list. It is the second oldest Singapore-owned public university in Singapore. Although it is a technical university, NTU has a College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, hence its large population of 31,687 students. NTU is more notable for its science and technology degrees, however. QS ranks Nanyang Technical University 6th best university in the world for engineering while THE ranks it 15th. This goes to show that beyond its 6 Colleges offering quality engineering degrees, NTU is a major player in global engineering research. Yes, with 36 Research Centers and Core Facilities available at NTU’s College of Engineering’s disposal, the College is not just an Asian giant in engineering research but also a global giant. So, if you’ll be studying engineering at NTU, it will be in either of the following engineering schools: Chemical and Biomedical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Computer Science and Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
#10. California Institute of Technology – USA
California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a private research university in Pasadena, California, the United States. It first began as a vocational school in 1891 but switched to a degree-offering university in 1910. Caltech has a small student population of 2,333 students, according to Wikipedia, and is one of the small groups of universities in the United States primarily devoted to pure and applied sciences. So you see, it is no mistake that Caltech makes our list of best engineering schools in the USA. Although it doesn’t rank on QS best 10 universities in the world for engineering, it ranks as the number one school in THE ranking. Besides, Caltech has 21 research centers and labs dedicated to the advancement in science and applied science. Further supporting its claim as one of the best schools for engineering in the world, Caltech’s Division of Engineering and Applied Science has seven departments offering various engineering degree programs. They are Aerospace (GALCIT); Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering; Applied Physics & Material Sciences; Computing & Mathematical Sciences; Electrical Engineering; Environmental Science & Engineering; and Mechanical & Civil Engineering.
#11. Harvard University – USA
Harvard University is another prestigious university in the USA and the whole world. It is one of the 8 elitist schools in the USA referred to as the Ivy League colleges. These schools have a longstanding reputation for their wealth, academic reputation, history, and selectivity. It is very difficult to get admission to Harvard University. Harvard’s institutional reputation reflects in most of its subject offerings. THE ranks Harvard University as the 3rd in Engineering, however, Harvard does not rank on the top 10 schools for engineering in the world for QS’s ranking. Nonetheless, Harvard has ABET accreditation for all its engineering program and from the 90s to the 2000s, Harvard has been in the spotlight in innovative research. According to Wikipedia, Bioengineers including David Edwards collaborated with public health researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to develop a novel spray-drying method for delivering a tuberculosis vaccine that could help prevent the related spread of HIV/AIDS in the developing world. Meanwhile, through the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard has 9 core engineering research areas. They are Bioengineering; Cell and Tissue Engineering; Biomaterials, and Therapeutics; Computer Engineering and Architecture; Electrical Engineering; Environmental Science and Engineering; Materials and Mechanical Engineering; Quantum Engineering; Science and Engineering Education; and Solar Geoengineering. Students passionate about Acoustic engineering found these 13 Best Acoustic Engineering School in the World helpful.
#12. University of California, Los Angeles – USA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is yet another US school in our list of best engineering schools in the world. It is the Southern Branch of the University of California system which began in 1919. As a public university, UCLA has 45,742 students as of the Fall of 2019 and 4,016 academic staff. Nonetheless, this California college consistently maintains a high ranking and is a perfect college to get an undergraduate or graduate degree. UCLA’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science holds high esteem in THE’s ranking of best engineering schools in the world. This engineering school in California began in 1945, has 6,161 total students and 180 academic staff. Not only is the Henry Samueli’s accredited engineering degree of top quality but its research centers. UCLA Engineering has 5 internal research centers and collaborates with 9 external research centers. This boosts the school’s output to science and technological advancements in the world. At any level, you can get some of the best engineering degrees in the world from any of Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science’s 6 departments. These departments are Bioengineering; Chemical And Biomolecular Engineering; Civil And Environmental; Electrical And Computer Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
#13. Princeton University – USA
Princeton University is one of the Ivy League research universities in the USA. As you can see, being an Ivy league school goes beyond the hype to concrete academic achievement, which is why they are turning up on this chart. Princeton University began in 1746 at Princeton, the USA and like other Ivy League schools is a private university. As of the fall of 2018, Princeton has a total student population of 8,374 and an academic staff strength of 1,289 staff members. If this doesn’t speak quality, what does? Princeton University Schol of Engineering and Applied Science mirrors this standard with a total of 1950 students and 124 academic staff. Together with the quality of the school’s research and four dedicated centers for engineering and science, Princeton’s School of Engineering earns the 7th spot in THE’s ranking for best engineering schools in the world. Through Princeton’s six engineering departments, you will definitely get quality and reputable undergraduate and graduate degrees. These departments are Chemical and Biological Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Computer Science Electrical Engineering; Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; and Operations Research and Financial Engineering.
#14. Georgia Institute of Technology – USA
Georgia Institute of Technology or Georgia Tech is a public university in Atalanta, Georgia. Historically, Georgia Tech, after its establishment in 1885, offered only a degree in mechanical engineering. But in 1901, the school’s curriculum expanded to accommodate degrees in electrical, civil, and chemical engineering. So, you see, Georgia Tech is not a newbie in the world of engineering. Presently, Georgia Tech has expanded to have six (6) colleges, including its prestigious College of Engineering. In THE’s ranking of the Best Engineering Schools in the world, Georgia Tech ties with UCLA Engineering for the 9th position. Georgia Tech does not rank in QS World Ranking for best engineering schools in the world, however. But this does not stop Georgia Tech from making our list. Its present research contributions and its past legacy support its claim for a top spot as a top engineering school globally. The College’s graduate, John Young, to date, is the most experienced astronaut in history. Meanwhile, let’s not forget that Georgia Tech has nine engineering schools from which you can get some of the best engineering degrees in the world. These schools are Aerospace Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Materials Science and Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Nuclear & Radiological Engineering. You should also see these 10 Best Engineering Schools in Georgia
#15. Tsinghua University – China
Every innovation must be manufactured to serve a greater population, right? That’s where you find China. China is the world’s largest manufacturing economy and now talking about the best engineering schools in the world, we have a Chinese school. Tsinghua University (THU) is a Chinese University founded in 1911 and located in Beijing China. With its 36,300 student population, THU is a member of the C9 League of Chinese Universities, which means it holds a strong reputation in the country. THU holds a high reputation globally as well as in Asia and in China. It’s engineering programs are one of the best in the world. QS ranks its engineering programs 10th in the world while THE ranks it 18th. This is supported by THU’s global research output and research centers, including its Institute of Nuclear and New Energy technology, dedicated to future research in science and technology. Tsinghua University’s schools and departments to get a worthy engineering degree are Aerospace Engineering; Civil Engineering; Environment; Information Science and Technology; Materials Science and Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Electrical Engineering; and Engineering Physics. The best college for engineering in the world is Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, with its 10 engineering departments and 45 institutes, centers, and laboratories for research advancement in engineering, science, and technology. The top 10 colleges for engineering in the world are:1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2. Stanford University 3. University of Cambridge 4. ETH Zurich5. Imperial College London 6. University of Oxford 7. University of California, Berkeley8. National University of Singapore 9. Nanyang Technological University 10. California Institute of Technology You can study engineering at a four-year accredited university. This is because the minimum job entry-level requirement for engineers is a bachelor’s degree. So, search for one of the best accredited four-year colleges offering engineering degrees and apply for admission. The top five engineering jobs that pays the most is:1. Petroleum engineering – $137,1702. Aerospace Engineering – $115,2003. Software engineering – $105,5904. Electrical Engineering – $96,6405. Civil Engineering – $86,640 Harvard University is the Best Ivy league University for Engineering compared to Princeton University and other ivy league universities. Harvard has 10 departments offering engineering degrees, including solar geoengineering and Quantum Engineering. The best country to study engineering is the USA. In a list of top 15 engineering schools, 8 USA schools emerged. Generally, the top 5 countries to study engineering are:1. United States of America2. The United Kingdom3. Singapore4. Switzerland5. China Engineering degrees offer rewarding pay, but some more than others. The top 5 most sought after engineering degrees are:1. Automation & Robotics Engineer2. Petroleum Engineer3. Civil Engineering4. Electrical Engineering5. Alternative Energy Engineer You can find the video below:
Conclusion
When you think of studying engineering in college, think of the cost; the specialization; the research facilities; and most importantly, the accreditation. Your engineering degree is worth nothing if you get it from an unaccredited university or college. It is for this reason that you have proceeded to research for the best universities in the world to study engineering. The cost of studying at any of the best universities for engineering on our list may be high, but we have international scholarships that will help you complete your education without acquiring student debt.
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