Women have long been underrepresented in STEM fields, which is why we wanted to highlight schools that have higher percentages of engineering students that are women.
To qualify for this list, at least 5% of total degrees conferred must be in an engineering field. We looked at schools with the highest percentages of engineering degrees being awarded to women. Selections were limited to hidden gem qualifications and College Raptor’s overall top 800 college rankings.
To qualify as a College Raptor Hidden Gem, a school must have the following requirements:
- Receive fewer than 5,000 applications a year
- Have fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students enrolled
Here are College Raptor’s picks for hidden gem colleges for women in engineering!
10. Milwaukee School of Engineering – 18.69%
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Flickr user Jeremy Jannene
Location: Milwaukee, WI
- Student Enrollment: 2,846
- College Type: Private
Even though it is on a small campus, the Milwaukee School of Engineering offers a wide range of opportunities for students. Out of 16 bachelor’s degrees, 10 are for Engineering (Mechanical Engineering is by far the most popular). The school also offers unique study abroad chances, where students can travel to the Czech Technical University in Prague, the Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, the Fachhochschule Lubeck in Germany, or other select schools around the world. Milwaukee School of Engineering accepts about 63% of applications.
9. Missouri University of Science and Technology – 18.81%
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Wikimedia Commons user Adavidb
Location: Rolla, MO
- Student Enrollment: 8,835
- College Type: Public
Part of the University of Missouri System, the Missouri University of Science and Technology is most widely known for its Engineering programs, though the school does offer several other study opportunities. Although it started out as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, today students can pursue degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering Management, Chemical Engineering, and more.
8. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology – 19.77%
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Flickr user Elizabet Gojcoj (Note: Image is of Black Hills, not SDMT)
Location: Rapid City, SD
- Student Enrollment: 2,809
- College Type: Public
“Invent tomorrow” is the motto for SD Mines, fitting since it’s well-known for the numerous STEM programs offered. Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Electrical Engineering are the five most popular majors on campus. Blue and old gold are the school colors.
7. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art – 22.68%
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Flickr user Dan DeLuca
Location: New York, NY
- Student Enrollment: 964
- College Type: Private
With its small student body and prestigious art program, it’s no surprise that Cooper Union’s acceptance rate is quite selective–13%. The most popular majors are Fine / Studio Arts, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Architecture. For every 9 students, there’s 1 faculty member.
6. Illinois Institute of Technology – 23.91%
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Flickr user Michael Senchulk
Location: Chicago, IL
- Student Enrollment: 7,730
- College Type: Private
Illinois Institute of Technology is a technology-focused research university that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Applied Technology, Engineering, Business, Design, Science, Law, and Human Sciences. It is located right on the famed Lake Michigan, south of Navy Pier.
5. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott – 24.28%
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Wikimedia Commons user Embry-Riddle Prescott
Location: Prescott, AZ
- Student Enrollment: 2,439
- College Type: Private
With many students studying majors such as Aerospace, Space Engineering, Aeronautics, and Mechanical Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is known for its unique study and career opportunities. Courses allow students to study through both hands on and theoretical analysis. Students come from all over the country and world to attend the university which has a 84% first-year retention rate.
4. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology – 25.39%
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Wikimedia Commons user Cejeiler
Location: Terre Haute, IN
- Student Enrollment: 2,278
- College Type: Private
Also known as RHIT, the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology focuses on teaching math, science, and engineering. It has a first-year retention rate of 94%. A majority of students tend to study Mechanical Engineering with Chemical Engineering coming in second. The first Chemical Engineering degree in the US was awarded at RHIT in 1889.
3. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology – 29.09%
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Flickr user Rudy R.
Location: Socorro, NM
- Student Enrollment: 2,135
- College Type: Public
The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology’s most commonly chosen subjects all surround engineering: mechanical, petroleum, electrical and electronics, and chemical. However, it is fairly difficult to get into this New Mexico school: only 22% of applicants are accepted. Out of those students, 91% went on to attend.
2. United States Coast Guard Academy – 36.84%
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Flickr user Coast Guard News
Location: New London, CT
- Student Enrollment: 986
- College Type: Public
The USCGA offers 8 possible majors to their cadets: Business, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Oceanography, Political Science, Operations Research, Naval Architecture / Marine Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. They have an 84% four-year graduation rate and an impressive 97% first-year retention rate.
1. Franklin W Olin College of Engineering – 53.66%
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Flickr user Sean Munson
Location: Needham, MA
- Student Enrollment: 378
- College Type: Private
This college is truly unique. Known for its relatively young status (founded in 1997) and incredibly small student body, Olin has high standards for its applicants–a score of 32–35 on the ACT or a 1480–1570 on the SAT is the average. Olin has three majors available to study: Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
About our methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
Interested in any of these schools? Check out College Raptor’s free match tool to see if they’re a good fit for you!
