Today's Top Colleges in the United States for STEM Studies
by Brooke Chaplan
Every year, more and more students pursue STEM majors as these fields are growing and expanding. Most of the highest-paying careers fall within the STEM category, and the job outlook is promising. Here are five of the best schools for students interested in pursuing a STEM career.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT is one of the best-known schools for all STEM studies, especially engineering. The U.S. News and World Report recognized them for having the best undergraduate engineering program, and they also have a highly ranked graduate school. Many of their faculty are Nobel Prize winners and Fulbright Scholars. MIT has about 4,500 students and an acceptance rate of about eight percent.
Stanford University
Stanford ties with MIT for the top engineering program, according to the U.S. News and World Report. The California University also ties with Columbia University as the fourth best overall college in the United States. In addition to engineering, they rank in the top five colleges for biomedical studies, chemistry, environmental science, and computer science. About 16,000 students attend Stanford, and the school has an acceptance rate of about five percent.
California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology specializes in science and engineering, and their programs are some of the best in the United States, especially for graduate students. Their graduate programs for mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, biology, physics, chemistry, and earth science all rank in the top five in the country. The school has about 2,000 students and an acceptance rate of about nine percent.
Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd is a small liberal arts school in Claremont, California that focuses on science, mathematics, and engineering. Even students who aren't STEM majors receive a strong foundation in STEM studies from the core curriculum. Students can major in biology, molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics. Harvey Mudd College is one of the best schools for women in the STEM field, and they have a much higher percentage of female STEM graduates than most schools.
Princeton University
According to the U.S. News and World Report, Princeton has the best mathematics program in the United States, and has been consistently rated as the top overall university in the country. It also has highly ranked programs in computer science, physics, and biology. Princeton has an acceptance rate of 6.5 percent and is attended by about 8,000 students.
Although studying STEM in college is challenging and time consuming, most STEM majors have bright futures ahead of them. Students can find a variety of interesting careers in their field, especially if they study at one of these top tier colleges. IF these top schools are a little above your budget or travel expenses, see if an engineering online degree or self-study course programs can help get you a foundation you can later use getting into one of these schools.
