The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was ranked the No. 1 undergraduate engineering degree program in the United States by "U.S. News & World Report" in 2011. The university, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and founded in 1861, is divided into five schools, including the School of Engineering. It offers eight different bachelor degrees in engineering: aeronautics, biological, chemical, civil and environmental, electrical and computer science, material science, mechanical and nuclear science. MIT boasts 20 research centers on its 168-acre campus that focus on subjects as diverse as ocean engineering and cancer research. Many undergraduates continue on to the school’s master’s degree engineering programs. In fact, about 45 percent of MIT’s graduate students are enrolled in the School of Engineering.
Stanford University is located in the California Bay Area, approximately 30 miles from San Francisco. It was founded in 1885 and was ranked the No. 2 school for engineering undergraduate programs by "U.S. News and World Report" in 2011. The school has seven schools that offer undergraduate coursework, including its School of Engineering. Students who wish to study engineering at Stanford apply directly to the university, not to the School of Engineering. They have up to two years to declare a major, but those interested in bachelor's degrees in engineering should plan to take a significant number of math, science and fundamental engineering classes during their freshman and sophomore years. Engineering students may be interested in the school’s biannual Solar Car Project, in which participants design, build and race a solar-powered car.
Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, was ranked No. 1 in 2011 for best salary potential for engineering college undergraduates by PayScale.com. The liberal arts college was founded in 1957 with a goal to attract the country’s brightest math, science and education students. It introduced its “Clinic Program” in 1963, in which student teams solve problems posed by government, industry and nonprofit groups. It’s a small school, with a student body of about 700 students. Its engineering program focuses on theoretical principles and hands-on experience and is divided into three branches: engineering science, systems, and design and professional practice. Courses include Introduction to Design and Manufacturing, Engineering Mathematics and Materials Engineering.
Colorado School of Mines is a public research college in Golden, Colorado. It was ranked No. 4 in 2011 for best salary potential for engineering college undergraduates by PayScale.com., behind Harvey Mud, Caltech and MIT. It was also ranked one of the Top 100 Values by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. The school was founded in 1874 and has one of highest admission standards in the country. It boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1. Its undergrad degree programs include biochemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.