2026 Best Colleges for Environmental Engineering

Academic Highlights: Being a large research university, the student-to-faculty ratio is a less-than-ideal 18:1, leading to some larger undergraduate class sections. In fact, 51% of courses had enrollments of more than thirty students in 2023. On the other end of the spectrum, 9% of sections had single-digit enrollments. While not all of your professors will know you by name, there are plenty of ways that motivated students can strike up meaningful faculty-student relationships, with nearly 50% collaborating on research with professors at some point during their undergraduate career. Fifty-two percent of Tech students have gone abroad by the time they graduate, with a growing number electing to complete internships in a foreign land rather than academic coursework. In a given year, 130+ undergraduate students participate in a global internship.

Professional Outcomes: More than three-quarters of recent grads had already procured employment by the time they were handed their diplomas. You will find graduates at every major technology company in the world. Recent employers include Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Capital One, and Apple. The median salary of the Class of 2023 was $84,000, with recent grads settling mostly in the Atlanta metro area. The next three most popular destinations are San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, DC.

Academic Highlights: Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 54% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Introductory courses sometimes take place in larger lecture halls, so 24% of courses have an enrollment of more than forty students. Undergraduates do give their professors generally high marks: 88% report being satisfied with the instruction they have received, 48% report completing a thesis/research project, and 53% conducted research with a faculty member. Members of Big Red can choose from study abroad opportunities in more than forty countries, and roughly one-third participate.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 63% entered the workforce, 26% entered graduate school, 2% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 4% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. Graduates earned a median salary of $85,000. Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 13% pursued JDs, 4% MDs, and 25% PhDs. Popular destinations included staying at Cornell, other Ivies, Stanford, MIT, universities in the UC system, or abroad at Oxford, Cambridge, the University of Toronto, or the University of St. Andrews

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates pursue one of 58 majors and 59 minors at this world-class research institution. The student-to-faculty ratio is an astonishing 3-to-1, and even with a substantial focus on graduate programs, the class sizes are intimate. Over two-fifths of all class sections have single-digit enrollments, and 66% of courses contain fewer than twenty students. MIT is known for having one of the best formalized undergraduate research programs in the country. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) operates year-round and helped connect 93%+ of students to a research experience with an MIT faculty member. Studying abroad is strongly encouraged; almost half participate.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2023 saw 49% of its members enter the world of employment and 43% continue on their educational paths. The top employers included Amazon, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Google, General Motors, the US Navy, Apple, Bain & Company, and McKinsey. The median starting salary for an MIT bachelor’s degree holder was $110,000. The most frequently attended graduate schools are a who’s who of elite institutions including MIT itself, Stanford, Cornell, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges. Michigan sports a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and 18% of classes contain 50 or more students, but a solid 53% of classes offer a more intimate experience with fewer than 20 students. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program draws in 1,300 participants each year who partner with 800+ research mentors. For students in all academic programs at Michigan, study abroad opportunities are taken advantage of at high rates. In fact, the university is second in the nation in the number of students it sends to study in foreign lands.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school. The median salary across all majors is approximately 70k. Top employers include PwC, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Citi, Bank of America, and Capital One.  Within six months, 93% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $99k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft employ the greatest number of alumni.

Academic Highlights: The quarter system allows students to take four courses at a time rather than the typical five. Even so, the academic demands are intense, and Northwestern students work hard for their grades. The university has a phenomenal 6:1 student-faculty ratio, and a spectacular 39% of class sections have nine or fewer students enrolled; 76% have fewer than twenty enrollees. Faculty receive generally favorable reviews from undergraduate students and are rated as being highly accessible outside of the classroom. Fifty-eight percent of recent grads had the chance to conduct research with a faculty member at some point during their undergraduate years.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 70% of the Class of 2023 had found employment and 25% were in graduate school. Employers include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Deloitte, McKinsey & Co., and Salesforce. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $77k. The vast majority of Northwestern graduates can be found in Illinois, with the next largest concentration of alums living in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

Academic Highlights: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 37% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Undergraduates conduct more than 2,000 research projects per year; they can connect with professors during the academic year or apply to participate in a Summer Research Fellowship. Discipline-specific research programs, a research pitch competition, research conferences & symposiums, and publishing opportunities abound. 1,300 students per year elect to study abroad at one of 400 programs in 50 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 65% of 2023 grads headed to the world of employment while 25% headed to graduate/professional school. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Eli Lilly & Company, Amazon, Deloitte, JP Morgan Chase, PepsiCo, and Cummins, Inc. The average starting salary was $71k across all degree programs. The majority of alumni remain in Indiana with Illinois, California, Texas, New York, and Wisconsin rounding out the five next most common destinations.

Academic Highlights: Boasting an enviable 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and with close to 80% of course sections possessing an enrollment under 20, face time with professors is a reality. That presents a phenomenal opportunity to learn directly from a group that includes four Nobel Laureates, four Medal of Science winners, and two recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Fitting for America’s first research university, 70% of JHU undergraduates complete a research experience while working closely with a faculty member. Each year, hundreds of students receive significant funding for independent projects through the Hopkins Office for Undergraduate Research.

Professional Outcomes: Ninety-four percent of recent graduates successfully land at their next destination within six months of exiting the university; 69% of graduates entered the world of employment and a robust 20% went directly to graduate/professional school. The median starting salary across all majors was $80,000 with top employers including Amazon, DCPS, Deloitte, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. Blue Jays pursue further education at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, Northwestern, Stanford, and JHU.

Academic Highlights: A virtually unmatched 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio sets students up for a personalized classroom experience and an incredible amount of face time with some of the leaders in their respective fields. Sixty-nine percent of classes have fewer than twenty students, and 32% have a single-digit enrollment. Stanford puts immense resources behind undergraduate research; more than $6.5 million in grant funding is allocated each year to support roughly 1,100 student research projects. Close to 900 students study abroad annually through the Bing Overseas Studies Program in 12 international cities.

Professional Outcomes: Stanford grads entering the working world flock to three major industries: business development, engineering, and education. Among the companies employing the largest number of grads are Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, and OpenAI. A sizable number of newly minted Cardinals dive into the world of entrepreneurship. San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles were the top three US destinations for recent grads. Starting salaries for Stanford grads are among the highest in the country.

Academic Highlights: The academic experience at Columbia is driven by the famed Core Curriculum that lays out an extensive to-do list that includes highly specified courses rather than categorical requirements. Class sizes at Columbia are reasonably small and the student-to-faculty ratio is favorable; however, in 2022, it was revealed that the university had been submitting faulty data in this area. It is presently believed that 59% of undergraduate courses enroll 19 or fewer students. More than 570 students per year participate in the Columbia Overseas Program. A little over one-quarter of the students leave Manhattan for a foreign country during their four years of study. Undergraduate research is taken seriously by the university, which offers multiple avenues through which students can work side-by-side with faculty on their projects or pursue funding for their own original research ideas.

Professional Outcomes: The companies hiring the largest number of Lions in 2023 were among the most desirable employers in the world including Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Google, Citi, McKinsey, and Microsoft. Those moving on to graduate/professional school were welcomed in large numbers into other universities of Columbia’s ilk. In addition to remaining at Columbia (the most popular choice), the top ten institutions attended were Stanford, Harvard, NYU, Yale, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago, Oxford, Princeton, and MIT.

Academic Highlights: UT Austin offers over 170 majors. Sn encouraging 36% of course sections enroll nineteen or fewer students. Opportunities for undergraduate research vary by school, and many student must compete for slots in programs such as Summer Research Scholars or use the Eureka database to find individual professors offering research assistantships. A robust study abroad program boasts 400 offerings in 100+ foreign countries; 4,600+ students participate each year, the third-largest number in the country.

Professional Outcomes:  Over 1000 alumni work in the offices of Dell, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Deloitte; IBM, Meta, Oracle, and AMD employ over 500 each. Graduates early in their careers earn a median salary of $77,400, with median mid-career pay reaching $141,100. Roughly one-quarter of University of Texas at Austin undergraduates go on to pursue advanced degrees after completing their bachelor’s. Many pursue advanced study at UT Austin itself, which offers more than one hundred graduate programs. Many alumni stay in Texas after graduation, settling in Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Academic Highlights: Classes are small, especially when considering the school’s legitimate research university status. Seventeen percent of all courses see fewer than ten students enrolled, and 63% have sub-twenty enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1. Across all colleges, 60% of students participate in a research project at some point during their collegiate experience. . A substantial segment of the student body, 40-45%, study abroad, either at Tufts’ campus in Talloires, one of nine Tufts-sponsored programs in locales such as Chile, Ghana, Hong Kong, and Madrid, or one of eighty pre-approved programs around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after earning their diplomas, 96% of 2023 graduates were employed or attending graduate school. Prolific employers of Tufts alums include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Morgan Stanley, and McKinsey & Company. Of the 20% of 2023 grads who went directly to graduate school, 82% were accepted into their first-choice institution. Most Tufts alumni remain in the Boston area, but many also head to New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, DC, and Chicago.

Academic Highlights: 75 majors are offered across six undergraduate colleges. A solid 61% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 18% have single-digit numbers. Just 9% of courses have an enrollment of more than 50 undergrads. The Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement offers hundreds of opportunities for conducting research, both individually and alongside faculty; more than one-third of graduates ultimately partake. One of the top universities for study abroad participation, 87% of Notre Dame undergrads select one of 50+ programs in 35 countries; the satisfaction rate for study abroad experiences is above 90%.

Professional Outcomes: A spectacular 98% of 2023 Notre Dame graduates were employed, continuing their educations, volunteering, or serving in the military within six months of completing their degrees. Top companies where recent alumni set up shop included Deloitte, EY, PwC, Microsoft, Amazon, Bank of America, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and McKinsey & Co. The median starting salary across all majors is $82,000, a mark that is significantly higher than the national average for college grads. The highest concentration of recent alumni can be found in Illinois followed by New York, Indiana, California, and Texas.

Academic Highlights: There are 36 majors at West Point, and students must conquer a minimum of 13 courses within their area of study as well as 24-27 courses in West Point’s core academic program. A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio is also among the better figures you’ll see. This level of support and availability helps lead to an outstanding 97% first-year student retention rate. Almost 98% of class sections at West Point enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: West Point graduates must honor their eight-year military commitment (five years of active duty, three in the reserves), and many continue their military careers beyond those requirements. When they do enter the workforce, large numbers of alumni land at Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Google, and Wells Fargo, enjoying a median mid-career salary of $174,100. With military duties to fulfill, only a small percentage of cadets matriculate directly into graduate programs.

Academic Highlights: Yale offers 80+ majors, most of which require a one- to two-semester senior capstone experience. Undergraduate research is a staple, and over 70% of classes—of which there are over 2,000 to choose from—have an enrollment of fewer than 20 students, making Yale a perfect environment for teaching and learning. Undergraduate research is a staple of the Yale academic experience; university-wide, undergraduate research fellowships are awarded to over 100 freshmen each year. The number of Bulldogs electing to study abroad is typically around 70%.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduating, 58% of the Yale Class of 2023 had entered the world of employment and 19% matriculated into graduate programs. Hundreds of Yale alums can be found at each of the world’s top companies including Google, McKinsey & Co., Goldman Sachs, Meta, and Microsoft. The mean starting salary for last year’s grads was $89,622 ($141k for CS majors). The University of Oxford, Yale, and Stanford were the top three graduate school destinations for the Class of 2023.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are on the small side—74% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. The Undergraduate Research Support Office does great work connecting students with opportunities to conduct research, either over the summer or during the regular school year. All told, more than half of undergraduates conduct research. More Duke students pursue a semester abroad than students at any other top ten research institution—roughly half elect to venture off to one of the school’s 300 partner programs scattered around the world.

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 76% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 17% continue into graduate schools, and 7% start their own businesses. Companies employing multiple Duke grads per year include Google, Capital One, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Accenture, and a host of other top-shelf corporations in the areas of technology, finance, and consulting. Eventually, 84% of Duke undergraduates will go on to earn an advanced degree One-third of Duke alumni elect to stay in North Carolina. New York, California, DC, and Massachusetts follow in popularity.

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools. Undergrads will encounter a mix of large lectures (20% of sections contain more than 50 students) and tiny, single-digit enrollments in seminar-style courses (21% of sections contain nine or fewer students). Plenty of undergraduate research opportunities exist, with many facilitated by the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships; 48% of students participate in research during their time at Berkeley. Over 200 study abroad opportunities are available for those who desire them, and approximately 1,800 undergrads take advantage each year.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 53% of Cal’s Class of 2023 had already secured employment, and 17% were headed to graduate school. The median starting salary was $94,000 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by NVIDIA and LinkedIn. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers. For those continuing their education, most chose to stay at UC Berkeley, with Stanford, the University of Southern California, Columbia, and Harvard rounding out the top five grad school destinations.

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. While 26% of course sections are held in larger lecture halls and contain 50+ students, 42% of undergraduate courses sport an enrollment under 20. Twenty percent of undergrads assist faculty with at least one research project during their time at the university; Roughly one-third of undergraduate study abroad per year, and over 400 opportunities in 40+ countries are available for those who desire a semester of study outside of the United States.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included Amazon, Boeing, EY, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Oracle, Qualcomm, and Tesla. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Apple, Meta, and Microsoft all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $70,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. UF impressively offers 50% of sections with an enrollment of fewer than 20 students. The Center for Undergraduate Research offers a University Research Scholars program as well as summer opportunities, hosts its own Undergraduate Research Symposium, and publishes its own UF Journal of Undergraduate Research. Forty percent of all undergrads have such an experience. The school has connections to 1,100 study abroad programs that are taken advantage of by more than 2,900 undergrads each year.

Professional Outcomes: The University of Florida demonstrates exceptional career preparation, with 83% of the Class of 2024 securing employment by graduation day. Gator alumni have established a strong presence at leading tech giants, with 200+ graduates currently working at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, and Oracle. The class achieved an impressive average starting salary of $68,000. For those continuing their education, popular graduate destinations include the University of South Florida, Nova Southeastern University, and Georgia Tech, showcasing UF’s strong pipeline to both immediate employment and advanced academic opportunities.

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. A 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio is deployed effectively so that 65% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. No matter your field of study, you can utilize UM’s well-maintained database of upcoming faculty research projects as a way to connect directly with the professor of your choice; more than 2,000 undergraduates participate in a research or creative project every year. An outstanding 30% of UMTC students study abroad during their academic career with the most popular destinations being Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Professional Outcomes: Over 1000 alumni work at Target, Medtronic, 3M, and U.S. Bank; Amazon, Google, Cargill, and Microsoft employ 500+ UMN graduates each. The average starting salary across all majors is approximately 60k and recent employers include Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Abbott, IBM, EcoLab, Boston Scientific, Wells Fargo, Google, Apple, and Microsoft and Epic. With 130 graduate programs, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

Academic Highlights: Forty percent of classes actually have fewer than 20 students, while 19% of courses enroll 50 or more students. Opportunities to connect with faculty for research opportunities span all majors and fields of study. The school also offers the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program, which enables engineering students to conduct paid faculty-mentored research. Over 2,200 students per year participate in the credit- bearing Education Abroad program that offers hundreds of destinations within 60 countries around the world.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving CU Boulder, 83% of recent grads were working or in graduate school. 47% of graduates earned between $50k and $75k, with the greatest number working at Lockheed Martin, Charles Schwab, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and RS&H. More than 100 alumni can also be found at Google, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, and Microsoft. 25% of new grads immediately jumped into an advanced degree program, and 93% were accepted into their first-choice school.

Academic Highlights: Aided by a favorable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities. Each school/college has a course entitled Directed Research 490 in which students work closely with a faculty supervisor and earn between two and eight credits, countless other opportunities exist to get one’s hands dirty in academic research. Each department has its own slate of study abroad offerings and Maymester programs, which are short-term intensive courses held stateside and abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The median salary across all majors is an astounding $85k. Presently, between 500 and 2,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, and Oracle. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2023 USC grads include Columbia, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Harvard, with most remaining at USC for their advanced studies.

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across twelve colleges/schools. Twenty-six percent of sections contain 50 or more students compared to 29% of sections that contain fewer than 20. Still, there are opportunities for personal connections with professors as evidenced by the fact that 80% of graduates complete research during their four years at UW. The study abroad rate of participation has climbed steadily since the turn of the millennium; 3,000 students each year spend a semester in a foreign locale.

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 62% of Class of 2023 grads were employed and 24% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2023 included Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Seattle Children’s, and Deloitte. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, most remain at UW itself. Large numbers of 2023 grads also headed to Columbia, UPenn, USC, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: Students will encounter various class sizes over the course of their four years of study. A solid 43% of sections contain fewer than 20 students; 21% will have 50 or more students. Being a research institution, RPI attracts $103 million in research funding each year, meaning that the school’s 470+ faculty members are constantly in the middle of projects that require student assistance. Students can participate during the academic year for credit or pay, or during the summer when select individuals receive $5,000 to work full-time in a lab. International study is also encouraged at one of 20+ school-affiliated or exchange programs in multiple countries, including Italy, Finland, and Singapore.

Professional Outcomes: As they receive their diplomas, 56% of RPI grads have already landed a job and 33% have committed to a graduate school. The largest numbers of grads were hired by companies that included Boeing, Amazon, Regeneron, Lockheed Martin, Epic, and Cigna. Information technology alumni had the highest salary range, earning between $80k – $130k. Grad school destinations included Columbia, the University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, and Cornell, with most Engineers choosing to continue their studies at RPI.

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. Unlike some public research universities that can have student-to-faculty ratios greater than 20:1, PSU boasts a solid 15:1 ratio. That level of support allows 61% of classes to have an enrollment below thirty students.  Even at such a large institution, it is possible to get involved in undergraduate research. Eberly College of Science professors are running upwards of 3,000 research projects per year, and the school has a well-maintained and up-to-date database of undergraduate research positions. All told, 16% of graduates report having engaged in undergraduate research. 22% of a recent graduating class availed themselves of study abroad opportunities in one of 300+ programs in 50+ countries each year.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 79% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. Over a hundred alumni work at Tesla; Deloitte, Amazon, Google, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Accenture each employ over 500 alumni. Three-quarters of recent graduates employed full-time earned starting salaries of greater than $50k. Penn State graduates mostly settle in the Greater Philadelphia area, with New York City and the Washington DC-Baltimore area also proving popular with alumni.

Academic Highlights: Getting well-acquainted with your professors is easy with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, and class sizes are reasonably small. Slightly more than half of courses at Bucknell unfold in a classroom of no more than nineteen students, and approximately 90% of all sections enroll fewer than twenty-nine students. All of Bucknell’s full-time professors spend some of their time teaching undergraduates. More than 500 take advantage of research opportunities on campus

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, 93% of Bucknell’s most recent graduating class had launched their careers or entered graduate school. Across all disciplines, the average salary for a  grad was $72,735,  which is well above average when compared to other liberal arts colleges. Geographically, most Bucknell grads remain concentrated in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and the DC metro area.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are mixed, and many sections are smaller than you would expect for such a large university where the student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1. Fourteen percent of classes have single-digit enrollments, and 57% contain fewer than 30 students; 17% of courses are larger, playing host to fifty or more undergraduates. More than half of Clemson students participate in some type of undergraduate research, a strong percentage given the size of the school. Each year over 1,400 students elect to study abroad in one of Clemson’s own programs or one offered by a third party.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 93% of 2023 grads had already entered the working world or were pursuing a graduate degree. The top employers of newly-minted diploma holders include Prisma Health, Boeing, Bank of America, and Epic Systems. Computing and Applied Sciences reported a median starting salary of $75,000. College of Business graduates enjoyed median earnings of $61,000. Of the 18% of recent graduates directly entering grad school, the largest number retained their Tiger stripes by continuing their studies at Clemson.

Academic Highlights: NC State offers more than 100 majors and 120 minors. Thanks to a reasonable 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you won’t exclusively have classes in enormous lecture halls. Rather, NC State offers its undergraduates a mix of experiences with 63% of sections enrolling 29 or fewer students and 18% enrolling 50 or more. The Office of Undergraduate Research works diligently to connect star students to faculty research projects, which leads to nearly 500 student presentations at the spring poster sessions alone. In 2024, 28 students received invitations to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.

Professional Outcomes: Forty-four percent of students graduating in 2023 had already accepted full-time jobs before exiting; 30% were heading to graduate/professional school. Members of that class reported an average starting salary of $65,589 (with a slightly higher median). Including all graduating years, the companies employing the largest number of alumni are Cisco, SAS, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Lenovo, Apple, Meta, and NVIDIA. Many recent grads also work for the university itself.

Academic Highlights: Classes are rarely small as Mines possesses a student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The average class has 34 students, and only 18% of sections have an enrollment under twenty. Yet, that does not translate into a lack of hands-on opportunities. All Mines students must take a two-semester sequence of courses called EPICS (Engineering Practices Introductory Course Sequence) in which they tackle an open-ended design problem as part of a small team. Freshmen also take Cornerstone Design, in which teams of students must solve real-world design problems. In a given year, roughly 125 students are awarded Mines Undergraduate Research Fellowships and work as research assistants on faculty-led projects.

Professional Outcomes: Recent grads landed industry jobs or full-time graduate school positions at a clip of 94%. Companies employing massive numbers of Mines’ grads include Lockheed Martin, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, United Launch Alliance, Chevron, and Xcel Energy. Those finding employment enjoyed an average starting salary of $76,400. While alums pursuing further education were accepted into Stanford, Columbia, and Northwestern, 56% of grad students chose to continue their studies at Mines.

Academics: While class sizes aren’t small, 31% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 67% of classes are kept under fifty students. There are numerous opportunities for undergraduate research through programs like the McNair Scholars Program, the Biology Undergraduate Research Program, and the Provost’s Undergraduate Fellowship. All in all, 50% of Aggies engage in some type of research/creative project outside the classroom, and over 700 present at the annual undergraduate research conference.

Professional Outcomes: Many recent grads found homes in Silicon Valley or other California-based employers. Corporations employing 200 or more Aggies include Google, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce, LinkedIn, and Tesla. Graduates earn a median salary of $79,000 at the beginning of their careers, but ten years out of school, median earnings rise to $147k. Most Aggies reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Sacramento, Davis, and Los Angeles proving popular with graduates as well.

Academic Highlights: Colorado State University provides students with a dynamic academic environment offering 74 undergraduate degree programs supported by a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio. While 33% of courses maintain an intimate setting with fewer than 20 students, another 22% feature larger lecture-style classes, creating diverse learning experiences. CSU shines in hands-on learning, with 5,000+ undergraduates engaging in research annually and one in four students gaining global perspectives through study abroad or international programs—demonstrating the university’s commitment to experiential education at scale.

Professional Outcomes: CSU graduates achieve remarkable career success, with 90% of the Class of 2023 securing employment or graduate school placement within six months. An impressive 72% completed internships, contributing to strong outcomes where 87% landed jobs aligned with their career goals, and 69% overall were employed. Alumni thrive at industry leaders like Lockheed Martin, Deloitte, and Fidelity Investments, while those continuing their education frequently choose top public research universities, including the University of Colorado system, Arizona State, and the University of Washington. With an average starting salary of $57,461, CSU proves the value of its academic programs.

Academic Highlights: There are 250+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. A 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to fairly large classes as only 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, so expect a fair number of courses in a large lecture hall setting. Still, aggressive students can find opportunities to work closely with faculty. The Office of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry helps approximately 600 students per year participate in undergraduate research forums. All told, approximately 20% of students gain research experience. Last year, nearly 1,800 undergraduates elected to study abroad in one of 350+ short- and long-term programs spread across 70 countries; OSU has the third-highest study abroad enrollment numbers in the Big 10.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 64% of Class of 2023 graduates entered the world of employment while 14% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, and more than 500 work for Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

Academic Highlights: 200+ undergraduate majors, minors, and certificate programs are available across eight colleges. The 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not suggestive of an intimate learning environment, yet the University of Iowa still manages to keep over half of its undergraduate sections at an enrollment of 19 or fewer students. Just 13% of sections enroll 50 or more undergrads. Increasing the number of undergraduate research opportunities available is part of the university’s strategic plan. At present, about one-third of UI undergrads conduct or assist research. In a given year, more than 1,000 University of Iowa students study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of recent grads found their first job or advanced degree program within six months of receiving their diploma. Companies that employ hundreds of alumni include John Deere, Collins Aerospace, Amazon, Deloitte, AbbVie, Microsoft, and Google. Five years after graduating, alumni report a salary increase of 55% and 95% are satisfied with their job. The median salary for recent grads was $50,000. 21% went directly into graduate school; 75% remained at the University of Iowa.

Academic Highlights: There are over 100 undergraduate majors to choose from at Drexel.  The university offers a reasonable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio with commensurately reasonable class sizes. Fifty-one percent of sections contain 19 or fewer students, and just 9% of sections contain 50 or more. Drexel students are encouraged to begin seeking undergraduate research opportunities “as early as the freshman year.” An array of research-oriented co-ops exist at local hospitals, museums, and pharmaceutical companies as well. With the emphasis on co-op education, it can be difficult to carve out time to study abroad while at Drexel. In a typical year, roughly 900 students manage to study internationally at one of 60 locations. Co-ops in foreign countries are another way to access the benefits of this type of experience.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 97% of Dragons have arrived at their next destination; 94% of full-time graduates were satisfied with their position and 87% were working in professions related to their field of study. The largest employers of Drexel alumni are Children’s Hospital of Philadephia, Penn Medicine, Comcast, Lockheed Martin, and Vanguard. The average salary for Drexel grads with a full-time job was $68,650.

Academic Highlights: UCI offers over eighty undergrad programs as well as many opportunities for personal connection; 54% of all sections enroll 19 or fewer students and over 70% of students participate in undergraduate research. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program helps students with proposal writing, developing research plans, and presenting their results at the annual spring UCI Undergraduate Research Symposium and/or publishing their results in the UCI Undergraduate Research Journal.

Professional Outcomes: Companies employing large numbers of recent grads include Amazon, Deloitte, Northrop Grumman, Ernst & Young, and PwC. Hundreds of alumni are also found at Google, Microsoft, and Meta. The median salary is $70,000, with School of Information and Computer Sciences grads earning $117k right off the bat. 38% of graduates enroll in graduate school, with many choosing to remain at UC Irvine. The majority pursue master’s degrees (89%), with the remainder enrolling in doctorate programs.

Academic Highlights: Michigan Tech stands as the Great Lakes State’s premier STEM institution, offering 120 degree programs and 86 minors across cutting-edge technological fields. With an excellent 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, nearly half (46%) of all classes maintain an intimate sub-20 student enrollment, ensuring meaningful faculty interaction. The university’s research enterprise spans 15 specialized centers tackling critical challenges across 13 focus areas, while global opportunities abound—including the transformative Semester at Sea program that takes Huskies on a 100-day voyage to up to 12 emerging nations.

Professional Outcomes: Michigan Tech’s industry connections yield exceptional results, with 93% of alumni successfully placed and commanding a strong median starting salary of $71,516. The university’s career fairs attract 400+ companies annually, creating pipelines to automotive leaders like GM, Ford, and Stellantis; heavy industry titans Caterpillar and Cummins; and healthcare technology developers like Medtronic. These outcomes validate Michigan Tech’s hands-on approach to technological education, producing graduates who immediately contribute to America’s industrial and energy sectors.

Academic Highlights: Forty percent of sections have an enrollment of under twenty students while 18% enroll more than 50. Plenty of personal connection with professors is available to those who seek it. Structured undergraduate research opportunities are available within every single school at UPitt; the bi-annual Research & Creative Expression Fair features 100+ projects. There are 350 study abroad programs in 75 countries, and many take advantage.

Professional Outcomes: Within a few months of graduating, 98% of 2023 grads entered full-time employment or full-time graduate or professional school. Employers scooping up the highest number of grads in one recent year included the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (208), PNC (67), BNY Mellon (37), and Deloitte (21). The median salary across all majors was $62,127. Pittsburgh, Philly, New York, and DC host the most alumni.