Top Engineering Schools in China in 2021

The recent QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 covers the best universities for 51 different subjects, including 520 top engineering and technology schools around the world – 38 of which can be found in Mainland China. 

The ranking covers five different branches of engineering – chemical, civil and structural, electrical, mechanical, and mineral and mining. 

The rankings are compiled using four indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index (a way of measuring the productivity and impact of published work). You can find out more about the methodology used here. 

Of the 38 engineering and technology universities in Mainland China, Tsinghua University is the highest ranked for another year running, despite dropping one place in the index. The school earns a perfect score in the H-Index indicator and a near-perfect score in the academic reputation indicator.  

Notable movements in the engineering and technology top ten this year in Mainland China include Xi’an Jiaotong University, up 26 positions to 67th and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, climbing 18 places  this year to joint 82nd. Harbin Institute of Technology also performed well in joint 96th after rising 24 places. 

See the full engineering and technology subject rankings here. 

Top Universities for Chemical Engineering 

There are currently 400 chemical engineering schools in the subject rankings, with 35 of these located in China. Six Chinese universities can be found in the global top 100. 

China’s top university for chemical engineering this year is Tsinghua University, in 11th place globally after dropping one spot in the 2021 rankings. A new entry this year, Peking University ranks close behind in 18th  – the second-highest ranked university in Mainland China for chemical engineering. 

Mainland China’s other new entry this year is Chongqing University, entering the rankings in 351-400. Beijing Institute of Technology falls from the top 10 this year after dropping up to 50 places to 101-150. 

View the full chemical engineering ranking here. 

Top Universities for Civil and Structural Engineering 

The 202 civil and structural engineering schools featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 includes 11 top Chinese universities. 

The highest ranking of these is Tsinghua University which once again offers the best course in Mainland China, placing in joint seventh worldwide after rising three places this year. The school earns a perfect score in the H-index , reflecting the quality of its research output. 

Three other Chinese universities feature in the top 50 for civil and structural engineering.  

See the full civil and structural engineering rankings here  

Top Universities for Electrical Engineering 

China is home to 36 of the 503 top electrical engineering universities in the world, with Tsinghua University bagging the top spot in Mainland China this year.  

There are eight Chinese universities currently in the top 100 for electrical engineering. Of these, Zhejiang University has had the biggest change in the index, rising eight places to 39th this year.  

See the full electrical engineering rankings here. 

Top Universities for Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering 

There are 35 Chinese schools found within the top 500 mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering universities in the world. Eight of these are ranked within the world top 100, with Tsinghua University once again claiming the top spot, ranking in 14th position worldwide. 

Zhejiang University made a big leap in the index this year, rising from 51-100 to 35th position and entering the global top five in Mainland China. 

See the full mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering rankings here. 

Top Universities for Mineral and Mining Engineering 

Of the 60 top mineral and mining engineering universities worldwide, only five are in Mainland China. China University of Mining and Technology is the best of these, overtaking Wuhan University and bagging 19th place after rising an impressive 14 positions in the index this year. 

Mainland China has two new entries this year: Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Xi’an Jiaotong University, both ranking 51-60.  

See the full mineral and mining engineering rankings here.