Best Engineering Undergraduate Programs
It’s not easy to figure out what the best engineering undergraduate programs is for you, but looking at the most famous degrees may be a good place to start. Many different career paths are available depending on which area of engineering you select. A degree in aerospace engineering, for example, is needed if you want to design and build aircraft systems. You’ll be best suited if you concentrate on biomedical engineering if you want to create new and enhanced medical devices. But which engineering undergraduate program is best for you? It can be difficult to choose between the many different engineering majors.
Around 250,000 students earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering each year. There are also several areas within the discipline that graduate a lot more than others. When it comes to engineering degrees, electrical engineering, for example, is much more common than ocean engineering. We have compiled a list of the most successful engineering majors in the United States, as well as the best schools in each sector.
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List of best engineering undergraduate programs
Please find below an overview of the best engineering undergraduate degree for students who wish to pursue a career in Engineering:
Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering, in comparison to civil engineering, is a more recent branch of engineering. The branch of engineering that deals with electricity and electronics is known as electrical engineering. With over 31,000 undergraduate degrees awarded each year, it is also the second most common engineering major.
From 2019 to 2029, the sector is projected to expand at a rate of 3%, which is about the same as the overall growth rate. Engineering facilities, research and development, and manufacturing sectors are the main employers of electrical engineers. This profession pays an average of $105,789 in mid-career.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is the most common engineering degree. Mechanical engineering is almost twice as common as the second sector on this list, with nearly 50,000 undergraduate degrees awarded each year.
Mechanical engineering is one of the most diverse branches of engineering. Anything from individual parts to complex, large-scale structures is designed and manufactured. Mechanical engineers earn an average of $97,654 in their mid-career.
Mechanical engineers have a bright future, with a forecast growth rate of 4% from 2019 to 2029. Georgia Tech, Stanford University, and the University of Michigan are among the most prominent colleges for the discipline. It’s no surprise that engineering is the most common degree.
Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering fields, and it entails the design and construction of highways, bridges, water networks, structures, and other structures. With about 22,000 students graduating each year, it’s also one of the most famous. Civil engineering majors will be in high demand as the world’s population expands, necessitating the construction of more infrastructure.
Civil engineers have a promising future. From 2019 to 2029, the field is expected to expand at a pace of 2%. Civil engineers earn an average of $87,000 in their mid-career. It’s likely that as more government funds are allocated to infrastructure construction, this number will increase.
One of the most common civil engineering programs is at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is followed by the University of California Berkeley and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Computer Engineering
If you’re debating whether to pursue a career in electrical engineering or computer science, consider computer engineering. This discipline designs and develops hardware, software, and hardware-software integrations using the skills gained in the previous two disciplines.
Computer engineering may seem unusual in comparison to other majors, but it is the fourth most common engineering discipline, with over 15,000 new graduates per year. In 2019, the median annual salary for computer engineers was $117,200.
The most common schools for computer engineering majors are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Famous universities include the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Georgia Tech, and the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineers solve problems involving the manufacture, storage, and transportation of chemicals, food, fuel, and other goods using math, science, and other engineering skills. Every year, over 14,000 students graduate with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
Chemical engineering jobs are projected to increase by 4% between 2019 and 2029. This is significantly higher than the expected 3 percent growth rate for all occupations. Chemical engineers receive a very decent annual salary of $108,770 in 2019.
Chemical engineering undergraduate programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the University of California-Berkeley are among the most common in the world. Georgia Tech and California Institute of Technology are both well-known.
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical engineers work as researchers, inventors, and innovators in the field of medicine. They incorporate their medical and engineering backgrounds to create and develop medical devices and other healthcare systems. Each year, approximately 12,000 undergraduate degrees in biomedical engineering are awarded.
The best way to think about biomedical engineering is to imagine it as a combination of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, and medical school. Biomedical engineers work on some of the most pressing issues today, such as finding treatments for illnesses and developing prosthetic limbs, among other projects.
In 2019, the median salary for biomedical engineers was $91,410, which isn’t bad. As the market for biomedical devices grows, the average is likely to rise further.
Georgia Tech is once again one of the most famous schools for biomedical engineering students. Arizona State University and Boston University are two other well-known universities.
Industrial Engineering
When you want to maximize or increase the efficiency of an engineering operation, you turn to industrial engineers. They devise new methods for reducing resource waste, such as money, materials, and working hours. Every year, approximately 10,000 new graduates receive their B.S. in industrial engineering.
Industrial engineers earned an annual median wage of $88,020 in 2019, which was slightly lower than other engineering fields but still considerably higher than most other occupations. Industrial engineers have a promising career future. Jobs in this sector are expected to rise 10% between 2019 and 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s higher than the growth rates for all occupations and all engineers combined. Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and the University of Michigan are all good options if you’re interested in this area.
Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
Do you have a passion for aviation or space exploration? If that’s the case, aerospace and aeronautical engineering might be a good fit for you. Aircraft testing, space vehicle construction, and missile testing are all topics studied by majors in this area. That, of course, involves rocket science.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of aerospace engineers is expected to rise by 3% between 2019 and 2029 (about as fast as the average for all occupations). Also, the pay isn’t that bad. In 2019, the average annual salary for aerospace engineers was $116,500. Approximately 7,000 students receive undergraduate degrees in this area each year.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Purdue University are some of the most famous schools for aerospace and aeronautical engineering for those who want to be surrounded by a lot of like-minded people.
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum engineers strive to boost oil and gas extraction and production while minimizing the negative environmental impact of extraction methods. While a petroleum engineer can work anywhere in the United States, some states have a higher concentration of employment. Petroleum engineers are in high demand in Alaska, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Texas, in particular.
A bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering is awarded to approximately 2,200 students each year. Engineers in this sector earn a very high annual median salary of $137,720 in 2019.
Hope you enjoyed reading our article on Best engineering undergraduate programs. From this list, you can now decide on the right engineering program to go for. Kindly share our article using the sharing buttons below so others can also learn.
