2024 Best Materials Engineering Graduate Programs Ranking by U.S.News (2020 - 2024)

US News & World Report published its 2024 ranking of the best graduate schools and programs in the U.S. (ranked in 2023).  Among the materials science and engineering programs, what are the changes from the 2020 to the 2024 rankings? MSE Supplies (msesupplies.com) has compiled the ranking data from the last several years and highlighted some interesting changes in ranking.

MSE Supplies is a trusted supplier to most of these universities listed in the ranking. With a mission to support scientists and engineers worldwide to accelerate their innovations, MSE Supplies is committed to supplying high quality materials, equipment and analytical services for both research and production with the best value.

• The top 10 schools on the list remain the same year over year. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign moved up from No. 6 in the previous year to the No. 2 (tied) spot this year. 
• Among the top 25 programs, the schools showing the most progress include Texas A&M University, which advanced 6 spots, as compared to last year's ranking. 
• Lehigh University dropped 13 spots over the last year from No. 35 to the current position of No. 48. University of Colorado Boulder dropped from No. 35 to No. 51.

Review the list below to see the detailed ranking numbers compiled by MSE Supplies (www.msesupplies.com).  

The 10 Best Materials Engineering Graduate Programs

The United States is filled with an assortment of excellent engineering programs. Here's a look at the ones with the highest-rated materials engineering programs:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is located in the heart of Boston and has a history dating back to 1861. It's widely known for playing dramatic roles in various modern technology and science sectors, and it's also highly regarded for having one of the finest graduate engineering programs in the country. It has ranked at number one since 2020, displaying its commitment to delivering high-quality educational experiences: 

• 2020: 1
• 2021: 1
• 2022: 1
• 2023: 1
• 2024: 1

University of California—Berkeley

For the third time in the last four years, the University of California—Berkeley has been ranked as the second-best materials engineering graduate program in the United States while also coming in as the third-best program overall. The school is dedicated to driving the industry forward with its 40 research centers, enabling students to engage in various cutting-edge fields. Its dedication has propelled it to the top: 

• 2020: 6
• 2021: 2
• 2022: 3
• 2023: 2
• 2024: 2

Stanford University

Founded in 1885, Stanford University is one of the nation's most highly sought-after schools. It's located in California's Bay Area and provides exceptional educational experiences for over 9,000 graduate students, with 37% of its total enrolled in the School of Engineering. Each student can choose between numerous specialties, including chemical, civil and aerospace engineering, which all rank among the top offerings across the country. Similarly, the school's materials engineering program routinely places at the top of the pile. Here are its placements over the last five years: 

• 2020: 3
• 2021: 4
• 2022: 5
• 2023: 3
• 2024: 2

Northwestern University (McCormick)

While Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering is ranked number 17 in the Best Engineering Schools list, its materials engineering program consistently ranks in the top three yearly. The university offers 15 master's degree programs, allowing students to explore their unique interests outside the classroom with state-of-the-art research labs and centers. The school's unwavering commitment to student success has landed it a spot in the top three for the last five years: 

• 2020: 2
• 2021: 2
• 2022: 2
• 2023: 3
• 2024: 2

University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign

The Grainger School of Engineering has developed an exceptional reputation for running some of the best engineering programs in the United States. Its faculty is filled with over 600 experts committed to delivering meaningful experiences throughout 12 programs. It's ranked in the following positions over the last five years: 

• 2020: 3
• 2021: 6
• 2022: 5
• 2023: 6
• 2024: 2

University of California—Santa Barbara

As the sixth-ranked materials program in 2024, it's no surprise that the University of California—Santa Barbara is a high-quality option for pursuing an engineering master's degree. It's a relatively small program with less than 700 graduates enrolled and less than 200 full-time faculty. However, with almost 30 school research institutes, the university is committed to cutting-edge research and superior educational experiences, placing it at the following rankings: 

• 2020: 3
• 2021: 4
• 2022: 4
• 2023: 5
• 2024: 6

Georgia Institute of Technology

Whether students want to pursue a master's or doctoral degree, the Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the best schools they can choose. The college offers an assortment of degree options, totaling close to 20, with its industrial and biomedical programs placing the highest. Check out where it's ranked over the past few years: 

• 2020: 7
• 2021: 9
• 2022: 7
• 2023: 7
• 2024: 7

University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is home to the University of Michigan's College of Engineering. This public research university enrolls over 3,000 graduate students across more than 50 unique programs in a commitment to expand the industry's boundaries. From carbon capture to space travel, graduate students have the freedom to investigate various topics in an effort to leave a lasting impact on society. Here's where the school has ranked recently: 

• 2020: 8
• 2021: 7
• 2022: 8
• 2023: 8
• 2024: 7

Cornell University

Cornell University is widely known for its dedication to student excellence. Its New York campus offers a dynamic environment for engineers to progress in their learning, benefiting from world-class advisors and top-of-the-line facilities. Through this dedication, it's earned impressive rankings in the top 10 materials engineering programs over the last few years: 

• 2020: 8
• 2021: 10
• 2022: 8
• 2023: 8
• 2024: 7

California Institute of Technology

The California Institute of Technology, or Caltech, creates an empowering space for some of the finest engineering minds in the country. Its Division of Engineering and Applied Science is a top engineering graduate program offering numerous subfields and access to regular events with world-renowned speakers through its research centers. With more than 100 full-time faculty, Caltech has continued on its mission to excel, garnering numerous top 10 recognitions over the years: 

• 2020: 8
• 2021: 7
• 2022: 8
• 2023: 8
• 2024: 10

RNP = ranking not provided 

School Name	2024 Ranking (ranked in 2023)	2023 Ranking (ranked in 2022)	2022 Ranking (ranked in 2021)	2021 Ranking (ranked in 2020)	2020 Ranking (ranked in 2019)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1	1	1	1	1
University of California—Berkeley	2	2	3	2	6
Northwestern University (McCormick)	2	3	2	2	2
Stanford University	2	3	5	4	3
University of Illinois—Urbana-Champaign	2	6	5	6	3
University of California—Santa Barbara	6	5	4	4	3
Georgia Institute of Technology	7	7	7	9	7
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor	7	8	8	7	8
Cornell University	7	8	8	10	8
California Institute of Technology	10	8	8	7	8
Pennsylvania State University—University Park	11	11	11	11	11
Carnegie Mellon University	12	12	12	12	12
Purdue University—West Lafayette	13	13	17	16	16
University of Wisconsin—Madison	13	14	15	16	16
Ohio State University	15	14	12	13	14
University of Pennsylvania	15	14	12	14	13
Harvard University	17	14	15	16	14
University of Florida	17	14	17	14	16
University of Texas at Austin (Cockrell)	17	14	17	21	20
Johns Hopkins University (Whiting)	20	20	17	19	16
University of Minnesota—Twin Cities	20	20	21	21	22
University of California—Los Angeles	20	22	21	23	26
Texas A&M University—College Station (Look)	20	26	23	23	30
North Carolina State University	24	22	23	19	20
University of Maryland—College Park (Clark)	24	22	26	23	30
Colorado School of Mines	24	22	28	23	22
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	24	27	28	23	22
Columbia University (Fu Foundation)	24	27	28	23	25
Rice University (Brown)	24	27	28	29	26
Duke University (Pratt)	30	27	26	34	37
University of California—San Diego (Jacobs)	30	27	32	31	30
University of California—Davis	30	33	32	31	26
University of Washington	34	27	23	29	30
University of California—Irvine (Samueli)	34	33	35	36	41
Virginia Tech	34	35	32	31	26
Drexel University	37	35	35	36	37
University of Southern California (Viterbi)	37	35	35	45	46
Arizona State University (Fulton)	37	35	40	36	41
University of Connecticut	37	35	46	45	46
Iowa State University	37	44	40	36	37
University of Virginia	42	35	35	34	30
Case Western Reserve University	42	35	40	36	30
Brown University	42	44	35	36	37
University of Delaware	42	44	40	49	46
University of Tennessee—Knoxville (Tickle)	42	47	46	49	41
Lehigh University (Rossin)	48	35	40	36	30
Michigan State University	48	47	54	36	46
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—New Brunswick	48	49	46	49	46
University of Colorado—Boulder	51	35	40	45	54
Stony  Brook University—SUNY	51	49	50	45	41
University of Arizona	51	49	50	49	57
University of Central Florida	51	49	59	54	57
Clemson University	51	56	50	59	46
Northeastern University	51	60	64	62	46
University of Massachusetts—Amherst	57	49	46	36	41
Boston University	57	49	59	54	54
Washington University in St. Louis	57	56	50	62	57
University of Pittsburgh (Swanson)	57	56	54	54	54
Missouri University of Science & Technology	57	56	54	54	57
Alfred University—New York State College of Ceramics (Inamori)	57	60	54	59	57
Vanderbilt University	57	60	64	68	57
Michigan Technological University	57	66	59	49	46
University of Utah	65	60	59	59	57
Washington State University	65	66	54	54	57
University of Illinois—Chicago	67	60	59	62	66
Dartmouth College (Thayer)	67	66	68	62	57
University of California—Riverside (Bourns)	67	66	68	62	70
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	67	71	64	68	70
Tufts University	67	71	72	71	67
University at Buffalo—SUNY	72	60	64	62	70
University of North Texas	72	66	68	68	70
Boise State University	72	76	68	68	67
University of Alabama	75	76	76	71	70
University of Texas at Dallas (Jonsson)	77	73	72	71	70
University of Cincinnati	77	73	72	89	67
Auburn University (Ginn)	77	73	83	78	78
Oregon State University	77	76	72	68	70
Stevens Institute of Technology (Schaefer)	77	76	76	71	78
Illinois Institute of Technology (Armour)	77	76	76	78	78
University of Kentucky	77	76	76	81	82
University of Rochester	77	76	92	71	70
Binghamton University—SUNY (Watson)	77	84	76	78	90
New Jersey Institute of Technology	77	84	76	81	82
University of Massachusetts—Lowell (Francis)	77	84	83	81	90
University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee	77	84	83	81	82
University of Texas at Arlington	77	84	83	89	78
University of Alabama—Birmingham	77	91	83	81	90
University of Houston (Cullen)	91	84	83	81	82
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	91	91	83	89	82
University of California—​Merced	91	91	97	98	RNP
Wayne State University	91	105	103	89	90
Air Force Institute of Technology	91	108	97	98	RNP
Florida A&M University	96	91	83	81	RNP
University of Nevada—Reno	96	98	92	89	90
Florida International University	96	98	103	RNP	RNP
University of New Hampshire	96	105	103	RNP	RNP
Oklahoma State University	96	108	92	98	82
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	96	RNP	RNP	RNP	RNP
University of Dayton	102	91	92	98	82
Clarkson University	102	91	97	89	RNP
University of Vermont	102	98	97	RNP	RNP
West Virginia University (Statler)	102	98	97	RNP	RNP
Wright State University	102	98	97	RNP	RNP
Tulane University	102	98	103	RNP	90
New Mexico State University	102	98	103	RNP	RNP
Montana State University	102	110	111	RNP	RNP
University of Miami	102	RNP	RNP	RNP	RNP
University of Texas at El Paso	102	RNP	RNP	RNP	RNP
North Dakota State University	112	110	114	RNP	RNP
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Hughes)	112	113	111	RNP	RNP
University of Denver	114	105	103	104	RNP
Portland State University (Maseeh)	115	110	111	RNP	RNP
The Catholic University of America	117	113	RNP	RNP	RNP
University of Georgia	RNP	91	103	RNP	RNP
University of Nebraska—Lincoln	RNP	RNP	92	81	82
University of Idaho	RNP	RNP	103	89	90