1. United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy takes top spot on our list due to its high educational quality and lack of tuition. While Navy does not charge tuition, graduates must serve in the Navy for eight years, with four years of active service required. The top STEM degree programs at Navy include Systems Engineering, Ocean Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $0
- Graduation rate: 88%
2. United States Coast Guard Academy
The United States Coast Guard Academy may be the smallest of the military academies, but it has a strong STEM program. Like most of the military academies in the United States, Coast Guard does not charge tuition but students must commit to serving for several years. Popular STEM majors at Coast Guard include Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Chemical and Physical Oceanography.
- Tuition per year: $0
- Graduation rate: 78%
3. United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is well-known for its STEM programs, so it’s no surprise that it makes our list. Students do not need to pay tuition, but they must serve in the Air Force for several years upon graduation. The most common STEM majors at Air Force include Systems Engineering, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $0
- Graduation rate: 79%
4. United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy prepares students to serve in the Merchant Marine or another branch of the government. Students must pay a nominal amount for tuition, though the cost is still much lower than it would be if students went to another institution. Popular STEM majors include Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and Systems Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $1,050
- Graduation rate: 95%
5. Purdue University
Purdue University is the first public institution on our list. It offers many popular STEM programs, including Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Computer Science. Purdue is known for offering its students cutting-edge technology to further educations.
- Tuition per year: $9,992 in-state; $28,794 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 76%
6. Missouri University of Science & Technology
Missouri University of Science & Technology is a leading public tech institute. Top STEM majors at MS&T include Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Engineering/Industrial Management. MS&T is known for its top-notch facilities, which even include an experimental mine.
- Tuition per year: $9,986 in-state; $27,484 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 64%
7. Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology, better known as Georgia Tech, is one of the leading public tech institutes in the country. Top STEM majors include Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and General Computer and Information Sciences. Georgia Tech is known for being a leader in online STEM education.
- Tuition per year: $12,682 in-state; $33,794 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 86%
8. University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is the leading STEM institute in the state. The top STEM programs at UM include Neuroscience, Mechanical Engineering, and Computer Science. UM spends over a billion dollars a year on research, so students have plenty of opportunities to get funding for their research projects.
- Tuition per year: $15,558 in-state; $51,200 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 91%
9. Michigan Technological University
Michigan Technological University may have just been edged out by its in-state rival, the University of Michigan, but it still has one of the top STEM programs in the region. Michigan Tech is a public institution, and tuition is very affordable for in-state residents. The leading STEM programs at Michigan Tech include Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $15,960 in-state; $35,196 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 67%
10. Colorado School of Mines
The Colorado School of Mines is a public research university in Golden. It is the leading Mining Engineering program in the country, though it does offer education in other areas. Popular programs besides Mining Engineering include Mechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $19,062 in-state; $39,762 non-resident
- Graduation rate: 78%
11. Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University in Alabama is one of the top historically black schools in the country. It is especially known for its leading STEM programs. The most prestigious STEM programs at Tuskegee include Animal Sciences, General Biology/Biological Sciences, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $22,614
- Graduation rate: 45%
12. Cooper Union for Advancement of Science and Art
The Cooper Union for Advancement of Science and Art in New York City is the leading STEM school in the city. Cooper Union is especially known for its Architecture program. Its other notable programs include Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $46,700
- Graduation rate: 90%
13. Rice University
Rice University offers the leading STEM education in Texas. Rice’s BioScience Research Collaborative is one of the top facilities of its type in the country. Popular STEM majors at Rice include Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and General Computer and Information Sciences.
- Tuition per year: $49,112
- Graduation rate: 93%
14. Harvard University
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and its STEM programs play a big part in this reputation. Its leading STEM programs include Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, and Evolutionary Biology. Students will have ample opportunity for research funding at Harvard.
- Tuition per year: $51,925
- Graduation rate: 97%
15. Princeton University
Princeton University is another Ivy League institution with a world-class STEM program. Popular STEM majors include Computer Engineering and Molecular Biology. Freshmen can complete the rigorous Freshmen Scholars Institute to prepare them for their studies.
- Tuition per year: $52,800
- Graduation rate: 98%
Students who are interested in finding the right STEM degree program can use our website to find the perfect school.
16. Stanford University
Stanford University is known for being one of the top STEM institutions in the world. Stanford University is especially known for its Medicine and Economics programs. Its Computer Science and Human Biology programs are also world-class.
- Tuition per year: $53,529
- Graduation rate: 94%
17. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is world-renowned as one of the top STEM institutions globally. It has unmatched facilities, including its own wind tunnel and nuclear reactor. Popular STEM majors at the school include Computer Science, Mathematics, and Mechanical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $53,790
- Graduation rate: 93%
18. California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology, also known as CalTech, is the leading STEM school in Southern California. The school offers several leading facilities, including the Jet Propulsion Lab and the Seismological Lab. The most popular STEM majors at CalTech include Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Computer Science.
- Tuition per year: $54,600
- Graduation rate: 93%
19. Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts is one of the leading STEM institutions in New England. WPI is best-known for its engineering programs, although it also offers top programs in Computer Science and Physical Science. The most popular STEM programs at WPI include Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $52,320
- Graduation rate: 86%
20. Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University is known for its Medicine program, but it also offers many other top STEM programs. Its Applied Physics Laboratory is one of the best facilities in the world in this field. The most popular STEM majors at Johns Hopkins include Systems Engineering, General Biology, and Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $55,350
- Graduation rate: 92%
21. Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is the top STEM institution in Ohio. It is known for offering undergraduates generous research opportunities. Top STEM programs at Case include Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $50,924
- Graduation rate: 82%
22. Cornell University
Cornell University is the final Ivy League institution on our list. It recently introduced two new programs, a Statistics and Data Science program and a Computational Biology program. Other notable programs at Cornell include Agricultural Economics, Computer Science, and General Biology.
- Tuition per year: $57,222
- Graduation rate: 94%
23. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology may not be the most well-known institution on our list, but it has an excellent STEM program nonetheless. In fact, 100% of their degree programs are in STEM disciplines. The top majors at Rose-Hulman include Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Computer Science.
- Tuition per year: $51,927
- Graduation rate: 82%
24. Lehigh University
Lehigh University is one of the top STEM institutions in the region. It is best known for its Accounting and Finance programs. However, it does offer science programs, including Environmental Science and Biological Sciences.
- Tuition per year: $55,240
- Graduation rate: 89%
25. Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd College is one of the leading STEM institutions in Southern California. It focuses exclusively on educating undergraduates in this area. The leading programs at Harvey Mudd include Physics, General Engineering, and Computer Science.
- Tuition per year: $58,660
- Graduation rate: 93%
26. Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is known for its excellent STEM programs. The most popular STEM programs at Carnegie Mellon include Computer Science and Engineering. Other notable STEM programs at the school include Biology and Mathematics.
- Tuition per year: $57,119
- Graduation rate: 90%
27. Stevens Institute of Technology
The Stevens Institute of Technology is a top private STEM institution with its main campus in Hoboken, New Jersey. Stevens is home to two leading research centers: the Systems Engineering Research Center and the Maritime Security Center. The most popular STEM majors at Stevens include Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $54,014
- Graduation rate: 83%
28. Illinois Institute of Technology
The Illinois Institute of Technology is a private STEM-focused institution that is located in Chicago. It offers a wide range of STEM programs, including several unique business-focused programs like Management Science and Mathematical Finance. It also offers more traditional STEM programs like Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $49,280
- Graduation rate: 71%
29. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is one of New York’s top STEM institutions. RPI is known for being focused on research, as shown by its 32 research centers. Its top programs include Mechanical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.
- Tuition per year: $55,378
- Graduation rate: 83%
30. Clarkson University
Clarkson University is a private, national research university and proven leader in technological education and sustainable economic development. STEM intersects our scholarship, research, innovation and teaching through more than 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, education, sciences and health professions.
- Tuition per year: $51,128
- Graduation rate: 71%
Our Ranking Methodology
We ranked the schools on this list according to ratings created by our proprietary formula. Our formula takes two important statistics into consideration for each school (yearly tuition rate and graduation rate). Some of the public institutions on this list charge different tuition rates for residents and non-residents. We only looked at the tuition rate for resident students for these schools. Our formula takes the yearly tuition rate and adds a multiplier that is equal to the percentage of enrolled students who did not end up graduating. The resulting number is the school’s rating. Example: Tech Institute ABC has a yearly tuition rate of $50,000 and a graduation rate of 80%. Its rating would be 60,000 (50,000 x 120%). The schools in this article are ranked from lowest rating to highest rating, as lower ratings are good with our formula.
If you’re looking for the right STEM degree program, we can show you which schools meet your criteria by using our degree finder.
Representatives of the institutions on this list can contact us if they have any questions or need to make any corrections.
