The 25 Best Masters in Engineering Programs 2024

The University of Wisconsin takes top spot in our rankings of the best Masters in Engineering programs. It offers degrees in nine different departments and is best-known for its nuclear engineering program. Degrees are available both online and through traditional instruction.

Purdue University finishes in second place in our rankings due to its high-quality Masters in Engineering program and its affordable tuition. Purdue’s Master of Interdisciplinary Engineering can be completed entirely over the Internet. Concentrations are available in Integrated Vehicle Systems Engineering, Materials Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and several other areas.

The University of Maryland is one of the top public universities in the country, and it’s no surprise that its graduate engineering program makes our list. Master’s in Engineering students can choose from 17 different areas of study, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and more. Students may have opportunities to do internships at federal agencies or major government contractors due to the school’s proximity to Washington D.C.

The University of Texas in Austin is known for its excellent STEM programs, and its Master’s in Engineering is no exception. UT offers the leading Petroleum Engineering degree in the country, and concentrations are also available in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Architectual Engineering, and more. UT offers schedules designed for working professionals.

The State University of New York at Stony Brook, better known as Stony Brook University, offers the leading graduate engineering program in the state. Students can choose to major in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering. These programs can be completed with a final thesis project, but it is not required to graduate.

The University of Washington boasts the top graduate engineering program in the Pacific Northwest. The Master’s in Engineering can be pursued in seven different concentrations. Students can choose to do a thesis, but it is not required for graduation.

The University of California – Berkeley is better known for its humanities programs, but it also has a leading graduate engineering program. There are Masters in Engineering degrees available in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and many more disciplines. These degrees can be completed in one year of full-time study.

The University of California – San Diego has an innovative and unique Masters in Engineering program. UCSD is especially known for its Bioengineering degree. All engineering students must complete a final project that meets professional standards.

The University of Michigan is another of the top public universities in the country, and its Master’s in Engineering program contributes to this reputation. UM offers both Master’s of Science in Engineering and Master’s of Engineering degrees. The first is for recent graduates of a bachelor’s program, while the latter is for experienced professionals. UM offers many areas of study within the engineering field, including civil, mechanical, electrical, and more.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has an innovative graduate engineering program. Illinois offers many online Master’s in Engineering programs along with its on-campus programs. The school also offers quite a few engineering master’s degrees that can be completed in one year of study.

Harvard University excels in nearly every area of study, including the engineering field. Harvard offers the Master’s of Engineering in various areas of study. These programs are generally two years long, with students submitting a thesis proposal after the first year and the thesis itself at the end of the first year.

The University of Dayton is one of the lesser-known schools on this list, but it still has an excellent graduate engineering program. It includes the traditional areas of study as well as unique options like Electro-Optics and Bioengineering. Degrees can be pursued entirely on campus or through hybrid instructional formats.

Princeton University is well-known for its STEM programs, and engineering is one of the university’s strongest areas. Princeton’s Master of Engineering programs are available in various disciplines, such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer engineering, etc. These degrees can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study.

Stanford University has one of the most prestigious engineering departments in the entire country. Students can pursue an interdisciplinary Master’s in Engineering program that allows them to customize their course of study. A thesis is not required for this degree program.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT, is world-renowned for its engineering programs. Degrees are offered in environmental engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and many more fields. MIT’s Master’s in Engineering degrees must be completed in one academic year of intense full-time study.

Yale University‘s graduate engineering programs may not be quite as well-known as rival Harvard’s but they are still elite. Yale offers the Master’s in Engineering in six different areas, with its environmental engineering program being the most renowned. The degree can be completed in one year of full-time work, though part-time study is also an option.

Northwestern University offers a top-notch master’s-level program in engineering. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in the field, and many have significant work experience. Northwestern also offers a Master’s of Engineering Management degree for engineers who want to run a team.

Johns Hopkins University may be best-known for its world-leading medical school, but it also has a top-notch engineering department. Students in the Master of Science in Engineering program can choose to complete a final essay, a final research project, or to simply complete all of their coursework. Johns Hopkins engineering department is best-known for its Electrical and Computer Engineering degree.

Cornell University has several leading graduate engineering programs. These master’s degrees can be completed in one year. The Computer Science engineering degree is especially highly rated.

The University of Pennsylvania has the highest-rated graduate engineering programs in the state. Its Master’s in Engineering programs, which are available in various fields, can be completed in one to two years. The Bioengineering program is the most prestigious program in the department.

Duke University has one of the top-ranked graduate engineering programs in the South. Its graduate engineering programs are unique in that they blend business courses with engineering courses. Students are not required to complete a thesis in order to graduate.

Carnegie Mellon University is well-known for its leading business school, but its engineering programs are also among the best in the country. There are various master’s level degrees available, including a unique Information Technology – Embedded Software Engineering degree that combines information technology, computer engineering, and electrical engineering. The master’s degrees in engineering at Carnegie Mellon are intended for experienced professional engineers.

The University of Southern California has long been known for its top-notch engineering programs. USC’s engineering department is known for being a leader in online graduate education in the field. USC offers master’s degrees in all the usual engineering fields, as well as a unique petroleum engineering program.

Tufts University offers a variety of top-notch graduate engineering degrees. Some of the more unique engineering master’s degrees at Tufts include Geosystems Engineering and Thermo-Fluid Systems Engineering. Some of these degrees can be taken on an accelerated BS/MS degree track.

Columbia University offers the leading graduate engineering program in New York City. Its engineering department offers several unique degrees like a dual MBA/MS in Earth Systems Engineering. Columbia is known for being a leader in online graduate engineering education.