17 Best Electrical Engineering Schools in the World

Here are universities featured on the top list of best electrical engineering schools in the world that are open to admit both domestic and international students.

Do you want to pursue a career in electrical engineering, Do you want to be a certified electrical engineer? There are so many universities all over the world that offer electrical engineering programs, but knowing the right institution to choose may be difficult and tasking.

Of course, studying any electrical engineering program in any university or college to become an electrical engineer is very difficult and requires a good number of years to achieve, but the latter end will certainly pay well.

What is Electrical Engineering?

Electrical engineering is the design thinking, building, and maintenance of already existing electrical devices, structures, equipment, machinery, and systems. It also involves research in discovering new trends and sources of electricity with the unique behavior of the electrical field around every other material.

Electrical engineers have the task of producing new electrical and electronic devices that are certified and capable of efficiently doing the work they were created to do. They are involved in research and production of less energy-consuming electrical devices and products to help conserve energy and increase efficiency.

As engineering is all about technology, it is good to note that electrical engineering is a branch of engineering that deals mainly with the technology of electricity. Without electricity, technology wouldn’t have grown as far as it has.


What do Electrical Engineers Do?

As an electrical engineer, you can be in the business of creating new electrical devices, designing new electrical systems and prototypes, or maintaining already-built electrical devices or systems.

An electrical engineer can also major in the field of electrical research, discovering new sources of electricity, conversion mechanism of electrical power, and deep study into the field of electricity to discover more novel properties of electricity and charged electrical fields.


How difficult is electrical engineering?

Electrical engineering is not a difficult course or career. It is interesting, result-oriented, and features a lot of research and practice. It may seem difficult from the onset because of the numerous practical sessions but as you progress and get used to the systems and protocols, you will begin to appreciate the course.

This list of best electrical engineering schools featured here is created to help you discover the top schools in the world to have the full experience of electrical engineering. These schools will certainly make the experience of electrical engineering less difficult and more fulfilling.


Are electrical engineers in demand?

With the speed of technological development in the world today, there is no doubt electrical engineers are very much in demand. From the microchips in some of the electronic devices we use down to big heavy machinery in farms and industries, the services of electrical engineers are much in demand.


Where Do Electrical Engineers Work?

As an electrical engineer, you can work in vast electrical and pure engineering, production, and several other industries and establishments around the world like the marine industries, automotive industries, aerospace industries, construction industries, power generation industries, oil and gas industries, telecommunication industries, construction industries and so on.

If you find yourself in the marine industry as an electrical engineer, you can work onboard as part of the electrical team on the ship to ensure that the ship is electrically in good condition all the time or is attended to should any electrical fault surface. You could also work at the seaport to help maintain the electrical systems there or build new ones to serve specific purposes.

If you find yourself in any other industry as an electrical engineer, your job description may be somehow related as it would always be connected to fixing electrical systems, doing research on the electrical field, and building new functional electrical systems.


Which country is best for electrical engineering study?

France, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia are among the top picks for the best places to obtain an electrical engineering degree.

Practically, every good country should have at least a single university that is at least an average place to study electrical engineering when compared to world standards.

In all, if you want to get the best out of your career in electrical engineering, it is recommended that you find the very best schools in your area for electrical engineering. There are several schools all over the world good enough for a career in electrical engineering aside from the ones listed here. To that effect, we’ve put up this article on the top 15 of these electrical engineering universities in the world that are considered as best.

If you can’t make it to any of these universities, you should find one of the schools in your area that is good in electrical engineering and enroll. If you are in Canada, you can take a look at our article on the best engineering schools in Canada with scholarships and decide if you could make your choice from there.

If you are in the United States, you can take a look at some of the available medium-sized engineering universities that also offer electrical engineering programs and degrees.


What are the best electrical engineering schools?

We’ve made available a list of the best electrical engineering schools in the world that should interest you. These universities according to QS ranking are not just the best universities for electrical engineering but also ranked generally among the best schools in the world. Here, I am going to put you through a list of the 15 best universities in the world to pursue your electrical engineering career.

 Best Electrical Engineering Schools

Best Electrical Engineering Schools

The best electrical engineering schools will be listed and talked about here. They are as follows;

  • Stanford University
  • Harvard University
  • Columbia University
  • University of Michigan
  • Duke University
  • University of Illinois (UIUC)
  • Princeton University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • California Institute of Technology
  • Purdue University.
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • University of Cambridge
  • Virginia Tech
  • Binghamton University

1. Stanford University

Stanford University is a non-profit private research university located in Stanford, California. Founded in 1885 by Leland and Jane Stanford in memory of their only child, Leland Stanford Jr. who died of typhoid fever at age 15. In terms of studying electrical engineering program, Stanford cannot be easily beaten.

The Department of Electrical Engineering of Stanford University was established in 1894, 9yrs after the university itself was established, making it one of the oldest electrical engineering departments in the world.

Stanford offers 3 different degree programs in electrical engineering, the most popular of which is the Master’s Degree program.

Stanford offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Electrical Engineering with the opportunity to research and experiment with projects. Students can choose one from the three core disciplines to focus on:

  • Hardware and Software System.
  • Information System and Science.
  • Physical Technology and Science.

If you are interested in something more advanced in electrical engineering, you will not find any difficulty in making Stanford University your choice

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2. Harvard University

Harvard is one of the best electrical engineering colleges in the world. It is a non-profit private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was established in 1636 and was ranked 2nd in the 2020 edition of the Best Colleges and National Universities.

Harvard is known worldwide for its excellence in academics, which makes it one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Harvard is Comprised of 13 schools and institutes and is home to a top School of Engineering and Applied Sciences which produces pioneering work in the Electrical Engineering discipline. Studying at Harvard College as an undergraduate student exposes you to a wide range of research areas from devices to systems.

As one of the best electrical engineering schools in the world, students at Harvard are taught to focus on building systems that sense, analyze, and interact with the world. These students go beyond the mere connection of wires, they design sensors, analysis, computation, and control systems; and also do major works in information processing. This is far beyond what you can get in some other random electrical engineering universities around the world.

Fundamental knowledge of mathematics and science in general is a prerequisite as the practices of electrical engineers at Harvard are based on these. The Department of Electrical Engineering of Harvard University reports officially that electrical engineers at the university pursue works on diamond nanofabrication; quantum devices; integrated circuits for cellular biotechnology; millimeter-scale robots; hardware for machine learning; the optimization of smart power grids and other networked systems; disentangling brain signals and mapping brain circuits; distilling information from large stochastic datasets; and the fundamental limits of private information sharing.

These skills are highly in demand these days and all have high pay too. An Electrical engineer who specializes in any of these skills or a combination of two and above is a hot cake In the field. This is one of the reasons why we’ve listed Harvard as one of the best places to study electrical engineering in the world today. At Harvard, all Electrical Engineering students specialize in electronic circuits and devices which allow them to explore other multiple areas such as;

  • Robotics
  • Control system
  • Signal and system theory.

The research areas at the EE department at Harvard are majorly in Circuits & VLSI, Computer Engineering and architecture, Robotics and control, and Signal Processing. The university offers both a B.A. and a B.sc in Electrical Engineering.

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3. University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a very large public research university in Ann Arbor, USA. As one of Michigan’s oldest universities, the school offers one of the best electrical engineering programs in the world. Founded in 1817 in Detroit, the university is a founding member of the elite Association of American Universities.

At the University of Michigan, electrical engineering comes along with computer engineering under the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department of the University.

This department being one of the most respected not just in Michigan but the world at large has its focus on smart electronics, energy and power, information, communication, automation, and robotics. These are parts of electrical engineering that you may not hear of in some EE schools around the world.

Electrical engineering and computer engineering come as separate majors in this department. The two majors according to the department are constantly ranked between 7th – 5th best in the US and the world by USNews and World Report.

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4. Duke University

This university is a large private research university located in the City of Durham, North Carolina USA. It was founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day town of Trinity in 1838. Duke is one of the best universities to study electrical engineering in the world. The Electrical Engineering degree program at Duke is surrounded by other disciplines such as;

  • Digital Systems
  • Signal Processing
  • Control Systems

As one of the best universities for electrical engineering in the world, its faculty of electrical engineering was ranked as the 5th faculty in research and productivity in electrical engineering in the US. The university was also ranked as the 7th best university in the US for electrical engineering by College Factual. Duke University was also ranked in the list of US colleges that pay off the most for engineering students by CNBC.

These recognitions and awards go to tell how good Duke University is and these count on why they made this list of the best electrical engineering schools worldwide. Also, the Duke Electrical Engineering department has one of the most flexible Electrical engineering programs that is available.

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6. University of Illinois (UIUC)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public university that was established in 1867 in Chicago. The university ranked 48 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities. The University is fairly large in terms of student population. As one of the best universities for electrical engineering in the world, the University of Illinois encourages students to complete at least two internships(usually paid) before the end of their program to enhance their practical knowledge of the course and build their career profile too. The university publishes available jobs and internships for students on their online internship and job board.

The university also runs a REUs (Research experiences for undergraduates) program where undergraduate students are given opportunities to complete career-building research projects over the summer. Students are being paid during this program well enough to cover their living expenses and several other costs throughout the time they spend on any REU programs.

The Electrical Engineering Department in the school offers courses in subfields including;

  • Fields and Waves
  • Analog Signal Processing, and
  • Digital Systems Laboratory.

In the University all Electrical Engineering Students have access to the Senior Design Project Lab which gives them quality experience in the field of electrical engineering.

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7. Princeton University

Princeton University is a moderately sized non-profit private research university located in the suburb of Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey The institution moved to Newark in 1747, then to the current site nine years later. It was renamed Princeton University in 1896.

As one of the best electrical engineering universities globally, Princeton University helps students gain mastery in electrical engineering by not only teaching and training them on electricity and electronics but also exposing them to several other fields like computer science, materials science, energy, physics, biology, neuroscience, economics, management, public policy, and many other fields.

The University offers graduate and undergraduate programs in electrical engineering, duly accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission.

Every semester, there’s an “open house” program organized by the department for undergraduate students which gives these students the best chance to demonstrate their projects and speak one-on-one with professors and electrical engineering majors to get experience and hands-on guidance on what electrical engineering is all about.

Princeton University’s School of Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Courses include:

  • Statistical Signal Processing.
  • Solar Energy Conversion.
  • Optical Electronics

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8. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

This is a private technology-based research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. The College of Engineering at CMU ranks 5th nationally (US News and World Report). The university is renowned for its award-winning faculties known for working with students to solve major scientific and technological societal problems through an interdisciplinary approach.

Carnegie Mellon Department of Electrical Engineering offers highly flexible bachelor’s Degree programs that provide a strong foundation in ECE essential skills giving space for their student to dive into their area of interest. Students can choose one out of the following five concentration area

  • Device Sciences and Nanofabrication
  • Signal and System
  • Circuit
  • Hardware System
  • Software

Carnegie Mellon University is listed among the best electrical engineering schools in the world for several positive reasons. Their EE department is the largest in the College of Engineering of the school and has led for years in research and education. The university requires a GRE General Test from all applicants and also requires a TOEFL test score of not less than 84 in a single sitting from international students.

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9. Georgia Institute of Technology

Here is another good electrical engineering university to look out for. Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university located in Atlanta, Georgia. Established on the 13th of October 1885. The school offers one of the best electrical engineering programs in the US and the world at large. Ranked as the 4th best school for undergraduate electrical engineering and the 6th best for graduate electrical engineering programs in the US. Georgia offers a lot of research opportunities to students including ECE’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP).

Electrical Engineering Program Features.

Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) refers to their students and faculty as “the tinkerers, creators, and magic makers that make it happen.” which is imaginative to the perspective of students who want to partake in their innovative B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering program.

Research opportunities include:

  • Opportunity Research Scholars Program
  • The Vertically Integrated Projects Program ECE’s
  • Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Also Georgia Tech’s, B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering offers great opportunities for students to engage in innovative projects.

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10. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is another private research university in Pasadena, California. It was established as a preparatory and vocational school by Amos G. Throop in 1891. Caltech which is a member of the Association of American Universities is also one of the best electrical engineering schools in the world. Caltech ranks No.12 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities. In Caltech, there is a balance in classroom lectures, laboratory, and design experience for student Their Department of Electrical Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science program in subfields which includes;

  • Electromagnetic Engineering
  • Signals, Systems, and Transforms.
  • Analog Electronics Project Lab.

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11. Purdue University

Purdue University adding to the number of best electrical engineering schools in the world is a public research university in West Lafayette, Indiana. The university was founded in 1869. Purdue University stands tall with a mission statement to “serve and lead the state of Indiana, the nation, and the worldwide profession of electrical and computer engineering, by educating the next generation of engineers, by the discovery that advances fundamental knowledge and its applications, and by innovation and engagement that address global challenges of societal impact”. The electrical engineering program of Purdue is currently ranked as the 9th best.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University offers a Bachelor of Science with a strong background in physics and mathematics. Students are well prepared for a career in the Electrical Engineering field.

Their core courses include:

  • Linear Circuit Analysis.
  • Electronic Measurement and Techniques.
  • Electronic Circuit Analysis and Design

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12.       Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Located in Cambridge, MA USA, and founded in 1861, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is an integral part of its host city of Cambridge, a diverse and vibrant community noted for its intellectual life, history, and thriving innovation climate. With a campus nestled between Central and Kendall Squares, and across the Charles River from Boston’s Back Bay, the Institute is optimally positioned to collaborate with its neighbors and to contribute to its community.  The school is comprised of 30 departments across five schools and one college. Their school of engineering is comprised of different engineering departments including electrical engineering and computer science.

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13.       University of California, Berkeley

 The University of California was founded in 1868 and is ranked as the number 1 public university in the world according to the US News and World Report, with 300+ degree programs, 30,000+ undergraduates, and 12,000 graduates. For over 150 years, UC Berkeley has been reimagining the world by challenging convention and generating unparalleled intellectual, economic, and social value. From 10 faculty members, 40 students, and three fields of study at the time of its founding, UC Berkeley has grown to more than 1,600 faculty, 35,000 students, and over 350 degree programs in 130 academic departments and 80 interdisciplinary research units. Berkeley’s academic enterprise is organized into 14 schools and colleges. The College of Engineering includes departments of Bioengineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences; Industrial Engineering & Operations Research; Materials Science & Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Nuclear Engineering.

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14.       Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University opened in 1876 with the inauguration of its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman. He guided the opening of the university and other institutions, including the university press, the hospital, and the schools of nursing and medicine.  Johns Hopkins University faculty and students study, teach, and learn across more than 400 programs in the arts and music, the humanities, the social and natural sciences, engineering, international studies, education, business, and the health professions. Johns Hopkins enrolls more than 24,000 full-time and part-time students in nine academic divisions on four campuses in Baltimore; one in Washington, D.C.; and facilities throughout the Baltimore-Washington region as well as in China and Italy. At their school of engineering, they have the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with other engineering departments too.

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15.       University of Cambridge

 The University of Cambridge has been at the forefront of academic study and research since 1209. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest in the world. The University of Cambridge has more than 20,000 students, from 140 countries. There are 31 Colleges, six Schools, and over 150 Faculties and Departments that make up the University of Cambridge, covering a vast array of subjects and specialized areas of research.  There are six Schools, each of which constitutes an administrative grouping of Faculties and other institutions. They are Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Technology. There is a Council of each School – including representatives of its Faculties and Departments. The Schools are represented on the General Board. At their school of technology, there are engineering departments which include; Energy, Fluid Mechanics and Turbomachinery, Electrical Engineering, Mechanics, Materials and Design, Civil Engineering, Manufacturing and Management, and Information Engineering

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16.       Virginia Tech

   Virginia Tech’s main campus is located in Blacksburg, Virginia with nine colleges and graduate schools, offering 110+ undergraduate majors, 120+ master’s and doctoral degree programs, and is ranked 54th in university research in the United States. The College of Engineering pushes the boundaries beyond classroom knowledge, applying a hands-on, multidisciplinary approach to prepare engineering students to be highly recruitable problem-solvers and leaders. The college supplies more than half of engineers to Virginia’s workforce and stands at the forefront of innovation, working in disruptive technology areas, including autonomous systems and robotics, cybersecurity, data analytics, turbomachinery and diagnostics, and wireless communications and security. With 14 undergraduate degrees and 16 doctoral and 19 master’s programs, all in 17 areas of study, the College of Engineering is training tomorrow’s leaders in the field.

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17.       Binghamton University

 Binghamton University is the number-one ranked public university in New York, a world-class institution that offers students a broad, interdisciplinary education with an international perspective and one of the most vibrant research programs in the nation. At Binghamton, they believe that a 21st-century college education requires a deep engagement with the world.

Their vision is to design a distinctly global educational experience and foster an inclusive campus community that infuses all aspects of college life with an international perspective. Vision is a reality at Binghamton. The University has been recognized with seven national awards for innovation in international education. Students from more than 100 countries choose Binghamton because they know it’s one of few American universities that emphasize meaningful cultural and intellectual exchange.

At the Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, undergraduate and graduate students earn degrees in bioengineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, and systems science. Unique undergraduate initiatives like the First-Year Engineering Program and the Watson Engineering Learning Community have created a supportive, vibrant, and diverse environment in which to study the technologies that shape their world.

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Conclusion

These schools listed here as the best electrical engineering schools in the world were not evaluated by our team, but rather by trusted organizations like US News and World Report. We picked them because of how highly they were ranked among other universities in the world and decided to check them up to get some details about why they were ranked so high and then feature them on our list of best schools for electrical engineering.

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