Top Electrical Engineering Schools

Electrical engineering students
Electrical engineering students (Photo credit: SLU)

In 2010, there were 1,074 accredited engineering programs in the United States. In order for a program to be qualify for this distinction, it must be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), Inc. or the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, Inc.

Generally, electrical engineers need a bachelor’s degree in order to obtain an entry-level job, however some research-oriented jobs require a master’s degree. Because technology is always evolving, electrical engineers must be lifelong learners all throughout their careers. Their jobs are heavily involved with both the math and science disciplines. Their expertise carries a high price tag, as electrical engineers enjoy some of the highest starting salaries in comparison to other recent college graduates’ salaries.

While all major universities offer programs in electrical engineering, there are select schools to choose from that specialize in providing degree opportunities in electrical engineering. Each school offers top quality programs to ensure that their graduates gain the proper knowledge necessary to support them in their chosen careers. These schools are some of the best electrical engineering schools in the world.

Here are some of the top electrical engineering schools in the world:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

mit
MIT (Photo: Adam Fagen)

The world famous MIT is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, the 160 acre campus sits directly across the Charles River from Boston. Freshman students are required to live on campus, yet most students choose to continue living on campus for all four years. MIT offers four undergraduate degree programs as well as a master of engineering degree.

Here are the degrees are offered upon completion of the different electrical engineering programs:

  • Electrical Science and Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • Computer Science and Molecular Biology
  • Master of Engineering Program

The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department (EECS) is the largest department at the college, and over 300 students spend much of their time here. There are four major affiliate labs that the faculty use to help teach their students, thus impacting technology industries as well as related news and greater education worldwide. EECS has been involved with the development of the World Wide Web through Sir Tim Berners-Lee. It has also had a hand in the conversion of TVs regarding analog to digital capabilities through Jae S. Lim. There are many more important discoveries found and developed at EECS.

According to US News rankings, MIT is the top electrical engineering school in the world. A US News survey also reported a 98% approval rating from MIT freshman. In 2011, only 9.7% of applicants were accepted to MIT. The engineering department is ABET, Inc. accredited.

2. Stanford University

stanford huang
Stanford University – Huang Engineering Center Adam Fagen (Photo: Adam Fagen)

Stanford University is located 35 miles south of San Francisco, in Stanford, California. The university was founded in 1885 and sits on a vast 8,180 acre campus. Stanford University’s Electrical Engineering Department had its beginning in the Mechanical Engineering Catalog in 1892, with the first electrical engineering degree being given in 1894.

The university offers students three different engineering degree options:

  • Engineer’s Degree
  • Master of Science
  • Doctor of Philosophy

Stanford’s School of Engineering has over 80 labs, affiliate programs, and centers to help students in their research efforts. It has 245 faculty members and over 4,500 students. Stanford offers students a wide range of varying organizations that they can join for fun and for further education.

Stanford University’s electrical engineering program is rated #2 in the world by U.S. News. Slightly more than 7% of applicants are accepted, according to US News. Former famous alumni include: former U.S. President Herbert Hoover, Tiger Woods, Sigourney Weaver, and John Elway. 15% of graduates received their degrees from the engineering program. Stanford University’s engineering program is accredited by ABET, Inc.

3. University of California at Berkeley

UC Berkeley Engineering
UC Berkeley Engineering (Photo credit: Flickred)

The University of California at Berkeley is a public college that was founded in 1868. It overlooks the San Francisco Bay on 1,232 acres of land and guarantees two years of housing to new freshman students. Students can earn either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree within the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) Department.

These programs include:

  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • EECS Honors Degree Program
  • Master of Science Degree Programs
  • Double Majors
    • Materials Science and Engineering
    • Nuclear Engineering

Although there are many, one famous alumnus from the University of California at Berkeley is Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1986.

US News ranks the University of California at Berkeley a 79 out of 100. Around 26.7% of applicants are accepted and the student to faculty ratio is 17:1. The University of California at Berkeley is an ABET, Inc accredited school.

4. University of Cambridge

Cambridge University Department of Engineering
Cambridge University Department of Engineering (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The University of Cambridge is one of the world’s oldest universities, founded by a group of scholars back in 1209. It is located in Cambridge, England. The university is made up of 31 autonomous colleges. There are six schools, one of which is the Technology school.

The Technology school contains several different degree pathways, including:

  • Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
  • Computer Laboratory
  • Judge Business School
  • Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Leadership

The electrical engineering program is available at all colleges. It takes four years to complete the program, which accepts students from all over the world.

There are no available US News rankings for the University of Cambridge. 331 applicants were accepted in 2012, according to the University’s website. Graduates from the university have accumulated 65 Nobel Prizes.

5. University of Oxford

Thom Building
Thom Building at Oxford (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The University of Oxford – located in Oxford, England, has a long, storied history, which is believed to date back as far as 1049. The Department of Engineering Science at Oxford itself dates back to 1908, and is the sole engineering department in the UK offering accredited coursework in every major branch of engineering.

Students at the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford have the opportunity to develop a broad engineering base, in accordance with the department’s stated philosophy that there are no lines drawn between the different branches of engineering. However, in addition to a broad engineering education, students can also choose from a varying range of specialist options.

The two basic programs offered, include:

  • Engineering Science Course (Undergraduate)
  • Master of Engineering in Engineering Science

Every year, approximately 160 new graduates emerge from the Department of Engineering Science.

 List of the Top Electrical Engineering Colleges in the WorldBased on US News rankings:

Rnk School Location
1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Massachusetts, USA
2 Stanford University California, USA
3 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) California, USA
3 University of Cambridge Cambridge, UK
5 University of Oxford Oxford, UK
6 ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Zurich, Switzerland
7 Harvard University Massachusetts, USA
8 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) California, USA
9 Imperial College London London, USA
10 The University of Tokyo Tokyo, Japan

The top electrical engineering schools can offer opportunities found nowhere else in the world. No matter which of these schools a student chooses to apply, he or she can be certain that – if accepted – they will receive a top flight education from professors and educators whose skills and qualifications are second to none.

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