We have asked many students which colleges are the best colleges for engineering and computer science. Using a weighted average of faculty resources, technology grants, class size, and student assessments, we developed the following list to help guide students and parents in the admissions process. The list provides a brief summary of the best engineering and technology programs.

(1) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

Cal Tech is the top-ranked college of technology. The school is full of amazing professors and has a prestige in the California tech industry, including Google and Yahoo. Cal Tech is highly recommended if you are interested in entering Silicon Valley and have a knack for inventing new technologies. Their undergraduate program is one of the best for students interested in individual research projects with professors, and Cal Tech is an essential part of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Some majors: Natural Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Sciences

Famous alumni: Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel; Charles Francis Richter, creator of the Large Richter Scale;

SAT Test Range for International Students: 2200-2350

Acceptance rate: 17%

(2) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

MIT is an amazing school with unique resources for its students. If you are interested in graduating with the famous ‘MIT’ degree, and want to immerse yourself in a high-quality education, every day, then this is a great place for you. With more Nobel Prizes than one can count in an hour, they define excellence in engineering. The presentation of their high school graduates indicates that generations of families are happy with their educational choice. Massachusetts Institute of Technology probably has the highest reputation worldwide among scholars and students.

Some majors: Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace Engineering

Famous alumni: Colonel Buzz Aldrin, NASA astronaut; IM Pei, world-renowned designer and architect; Robert Metcalfe, inventor of the Ethernet and founder of 3COM;

SAT Test Range for Incoming Students: 2070-2340

Acceptance rate: 13%

(3) Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

Cornell is one of the few colleges with engineering research programs that allow students to work directly under the supervision of renowned professors. With faculty like Bill Nye (the science guy) and Stephen Squires of the NASA Mars Rover Program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from the best. Be prepared to work harder at Cornell than you do at most colleges. Cornell’s unique engineering sciences facilities include the newly built Duffield Hall, which represents the next high-tech step for the university.

Some majors: engineering physics, nanotechnology, and biomedical sciences

Famous alumni: Stephen Squires, principal investigator for the Mars rover; William F. Friedman, founder of the study of cybernetics;

SAT Test Range for Incoming Students: 1940-2240

Acceptance rate: 24%

(4) Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Originally founded as the “Carnegie Technical Schools” in 1900 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the school is known primarily for its science and research. Carnegie Mellon University hosts the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the US Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. Additionally, they host the Robotics Institute (RI), a division of the School of Computer Science. Overall, its strong reputation among scholars and educational journals is the reason why students look up to this school.

Some majors: Computer Science, Software Engineering

Famous alumni: James Gosling, creator of the Java programming language; Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Sun Microsystems; Vinod Khosla, billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of Sun Microsystems;

SAT Test Range for Incoming Students: 1940-2235

Acceptance rate: 34%

(5) University of Texas, Austin, Texas

Considered one of the “Public Ivies” in America, the University of Texas has great resources for its students. As a public university, it spends nearly 50 percent of its engineering budget on sponsored research. The Cockrell School of Engineering at UT enrolled 67 new National Merit Scholars in 2006-2007, the university’s largest percentage of new National Merit Scholars. UT Austin scores the third highest National Merit Scholars nationally. In addition, Texas is a wonderful state with great weather and friendly people. Definitely consider UT-Austin when applying to college.

Some majors: Petroleum Engineering, Computer Engineering

Famous alumni: Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Computers; Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corp.

SAT Test Range for Incoming Students: 1680-2055

Acceptance rate: 49%*

*Note that this acceptance rate will be affected by the Texas Ten Percenter Law, which ensures that seniors from Texas high schools graduate in the top 10% of their admissions to any Texas public university.

Generally, when applying to these colleges, it helps to have someone with experience in admissions counseling. University consulting An important part of attending these top schools. We hope this information provides you with basic data on colleges and top schools.