Engineering Science Schools and Programs in The United States

Engineering Science Studies in The United States

Engineering applies mathematics and the natural sciences to design, build and test structures, machines, devices and systems. In the United States it is one of the main fields of undergraduate study: according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), US institutions conferred 123,000 bachelor's degrees in engineering in 2021-22, 6 percent of all bachelor's degrees, and business and engineering were the top two fields for nonresident (international) students.

How the degree is organised

There is no national list of degree titles in the US: each accredited institution designs its own programmes. The usual levels are:

• Associate degree (two years) at a community college, normally a transfer degree covering the mathematics, physics and introductory engineering courses of the first half of a bachelor's degree
• Bachelor's degree (four years), usually a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in a discipline such as civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical or aerospace engineering; this is the standard entry qualification for the profession
• Master's degree (typically two years), which adds specialisation
• PhD (five to eight years), a research degree

US credits reflect the hours a class meets each week; they are not ECTS credits. The academic year usually runs from August to May. EducationUSA notes that some degree programmes are highly structured, and engineering is one of them: the sequence of mathematics and science courses starts in the first year.

Schools organise the degree in different ways. The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) offers more than a dozen undergraduate engineering majors at its University Park campus, in a curriculum that begins with a cornerstone course in engineering design and ends with a capstone project. At Dartmouth College, engineering students first earn a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) with a major in engineering sciences grounded in the liberal arts, and then the Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), a professional accredited degree. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) builds its teaching on project-based learning and says it has prepared students through hands-on, team-driven projects for over 50 years. Hartnell College, a community college in California, offers an Engineering Fundamentals Certificate of Achievement and programmes that prepare for fields such as mechanical, civil and electrical engineering.

Accreditation and the engineering licence

Institutional accreditation comes first: according to EducationUSA, recognition of credits and degrees by other institutions and by employers is linked to it. In engineering, programme accreditation also matters. ABET describes its accreditation as a form of quality assurance for programmes in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology; it accredits programmes only, not institutions, and it is not a ranking.

ABET accreditation is relevant for anyone who wants to become a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.). According to the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), licensing boards generally require P.E. candidates to have a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited programme, most states require four years of work experience, and candidates typically must pass the FE exam and the PE exam. Not every engineer needs one: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says civil engineers typically need a state-issued licence if they provide services directly to the public.

Admission, English and visa

For a bachelor's degree you need to have finished secondary school and generally be at least 17. US universities require an English language proficiency test before admission. Before applying for a student visa you must be accepted by an institution certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which then issues the Form I-20 (or DS-2019 for exchange programmes). Degree students normally use the F visa.

Where to study engineering in the United States

This page lists 132 schools that teach engineering in the US. Philadelphia has three; Nashville, San Diego, New York, Baltimore, Cambridge, Pasadena, Pittsburgh and Seattle are among the cities with two. Examples include public universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, The Ohio State University and Penn State; private universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University and Vanderbilt University; specialised institutions such as WPI and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; and community colleges such as Hartnell College, Tacoma Community College and Pasadena City College. When comparing programmes, check which engineering disciplines are offered, whether the programme you want is ABET-accredited, whether it offers internships or co-op placements, and, at a community college, which universities accept its transfer credits.

Careers

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for architecture and engineering occupations was $99,520 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all occupations, and employment in the group is projected to grow much faster than average from 2025 to 2035, with about 174,800 openings a year. Two of the largest disciplines:

• Civil engineers: about 380,600 jobs in 2025, median annual wage of $100,840, employment projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035
• Mechanical engineers: about 298,500 jobs in 2025, median annual wage of $104,110, employment projected to grow 11 percent

Frequently asked questions

How long does an engineering degree take in the United States?

A bachelor's degree takes four years, a master's degree typically two and a PhD five to eight years.

Does my engineering programme need ABET accreditation?

It is not a legal requirement to study, but it matters for licensing: according to NCEES, licensing boards generally require a bachelor's degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited programme for the Professional Engineer licence.

Do engineers in the US need a licence?

Only in some roles. According to the BLS, civil engineers typically need a state-issued licence if they provide services directly to the public, and all states require mechanical engineers who sell services to the public to be licensed.