Top Mechanical Engineering Schools in 2016

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 includes a ranking of the world’s top 300 universities for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering, based on a methodology that assesses academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact.

If you’re thinking about undertaking a program within this area, read on for an overview of top universities for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering in each world region. Or full the full interactive table, click here.

Top mechanical engineering schools in the US & Canada 

The US claims 61 of the world’s 300 top mechanical engineering departments, 28 of which are ranked within the world’s top 100. Aside from the six in the top 10, also within the world’s top 50 are California Institute of Technology (Caltech, 11^th), Purdue University (17^th), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, 19^th), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (23^rd),  Northwestern University (26^th), Cornell University (33^rd), Princeton University (35^th), University of Texas at Austin (43^rd), Texas A&M University (45^th) and Pennsylvania State University (joint 46^th).

Meanwhile Canada is home to 13 of the planet’s 300 top universities for mechanical engineering, with three entries in the top 100. In order, these are the University of Toronto (joint 37^th), McGill University (joint 46^th) and the University of British Colombia (in the 51-100 range).

Top mechanical engineering schools in Europe

The UK is home to 29 of the world’s 300 top mechanical engineering universities, second only to the US. As well as three within the top 10 (see above), Cranfield University and the University of Manchester are both in the world’s top 50 for this subject. Also in the top 100 are Loughborough University, the University of Sheffield, the University of Bristol and the University of Southampton.

Of the 13 German universities featured in the mechanical engineering ranking, three are among the world’s top 50. These are Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH Aachen), Technische Universität München (TU Munich) and Universität Stuttgart. Three more German universities are within the top 100: KIT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) and Technische Universität Darmstadt. 

Italy has 10 leading mechanical engineering faculties, including one within the global top 20 – Politecnico di Milano (18^th) – and another in the top 100 – Politecnico di Torino.

France claims eight of the 300 top mechanical engineering universities, led by Ecole Polytechnique ParisTech at 51-100. 

There are a further five top universities for mechanical engineering in Belgium, including KU Leuven within the top 100. Spain offers four, including Politécnica de Madrid in the 151-200 range. Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Russia and Sweden are each home to three top mechanical engineering schools. These include the Dutch Delft University of Technology and the Swedish KTH, Royal Institute of Technology – both within the world’s top 25 for mechanical engineering. Sweden’s Lund University also features in the top 100.

Russia’s highest ranked representative is Lomonosov Moscow State University, which is within the top 100. Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin and Greece’s National Technical University of Athens both rank in the 151-200 range.

Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Switzerland each have two entries in the ranking. Switzerland’s two representatives are both ranked in the top 25 – ETH Zurich (14^th ) and Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (24^th). Denmark’s top offering, the Technical University of Denmark makes the top 100, and Austria’s Technische Universität Wien  ranks 101-150. The Czech Republic’s Czech Technical University in Prague is in the 151-200 group.

All home to one leading school in this field are Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, and Portugal. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology is the highest ranked among these, at 101-150. The Polish Warsaw University of Technology and the Portuguese University of Porto both rank 151-200, while Finland’s Aalto University and Hungary’s Budapest University of Technology and Economics are in the 201-300 range.

Top mechanical engineering schools in Asia 

After the US and the UK, China claims the strongest representation in the mechanical engineering ranking, home to 21 of the world’s 300 top mechanical engineering schools. These include Tsinghua University, Peking University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University – all within the world’s top 50 for mechanical engineering.

South Korea also boasts a strong representation in the ranking, with 17 appearances, including several new entries this year and two schools within the top 50 – KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Seoul National University.

Japan is next up, with 14 top mechanical engineering universities, including the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tohoku University within the top 50.

With a total of nine schools ranked in India, the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology perform particularly well, with four – IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Madras – ranked among the world’s top 100 for mechanical engineering.

Taiwan claims nine leading mechanical engineering universities, with National Taiwan University the highest ranked at 48^th. There are two other Taiwanese schools within the top 100: National Cheng Kung University and National Tsing Hua University. Malaysia has eight entries in the ranking, with two among the top 100: Universiti Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Hong Kong has five representatives, two of which are in the top 50 – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the University of Hong Kong – while its other three representatives are all ranked within the top 100.

Singapore likewise has a strong offering, with NUS in joint 8^th place alongside the UK’s University of Oxford, and Nanyang Technological University at 13^th. Lastly, both Indonesia and Thailand each have one school featured. These are the Thai Chulalongkorn University and the Indonesian Bandung Institute of Technology.

Top mechanical engineering schools in Latin America 

Nine of the 15 top mechanical engineering universities in Latin America are claimed by Brazil. Of these, one is among the world’s top 100: Universidade de São Paulo.

Mexico boasts three top mechanical engineering universities, including the Instituto Politécnico Nacional at 101-150. Lastly, Argentina, Chile and Colombia each have one entrant, with both Argentina and Colombia new to the mechanical engineering ranking this year.

Top mechanical engineering schools in Australia & New Zealand

Australia appears a total of 17 times in the mechanical engineering ranking, with the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney and Monash University all ranked among the world’s top 50. Also in the top 100 are Australian National University and RMIT University.

Neighboring New Zealand, meanwhile, offers a pair of leading mechanical engineering universities – the University of Auckland at 51-100 and the University of Canterbury at 201-300.

Top mechanical engineering schools in Africa and the Middle East 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey each have four top universities for mechanical engineering, including the Saudi King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals at 101-150. Meanwhile Turkey’s Middle East Technical University ranks at 101-150, followed by Istanbul Technical University at 151-200.

Israel and Egypt each have one representative in the ranking: Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Cairo University. South Africa is the only other African nation featured, with the University of Cape Town ranking within the top 300 for mechanical engineering. 

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