Chances are you are not living anywhere near the next Engineering school of the future or that your local university or college doesn’t offer the Engineering Master’s degree that got your heart beating faster the first time you heard about it.
But that’s OK. Even though the best Engineering schools are spread all over the globe, we have the perfect “treasure map” with their exact locations.
But which Engineering schools are the best of the best? We suspect that’s somewhere in Germany or the U.S. Before looking at why, here are a few Engineering programmes we recommend:
- Master's at the University of Arizona, the US
- Master's at Drexel University, the US
- Master's at University at Buffalo SUNY, the US
- Master's at SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences, Germany
- Master's at PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Germany
- Master's at IU International University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Why are Germany and the U.S. the best for a Master's in Engineering?
According to international university rankings, the countries with cutting-edge Engineering schools in most related fields are the U.S. and Germany. While other countries or institutions can be identified as among the best in certain areas of Engineering, the greatest concentration of reputable study programmes can be found in these two countries.
Engineering schools in Germany are quite different compared to American schools, starting from the curriculum, programme majors, research focus, career perspectives and up to the student facilities.
View Engineering Masters in Germany
Why is Germany unique for future engineers?
Some of the key advantages specific to German Engineering schools include:
- Engineering Masters are mostly free or very affordable
- Great international atmosphere
- High employability for Bachelor’s graduates
- Credits for laboratory practice and German language skills
- Wide array of specific majors
- Tradition of creative technical innovation
Check out more reasons why you should do an Engineering Master's in Germany.
Why do Engineering schools in the U.S. stand out?
The main features of Engineering schools in the U.S.:
- State of the art research facilities
- Abundant funding for ongoing and future projects
- Focus on creativity and outside-the-box thinking
- More study options than any other country in the world
- In-semester training and internship options
- High wages and rising demand for engineers
German vs American Engineering study experience
In terms of quantity, the U.S. gathers a larger number of Engineering schools compared to Germany. Additionally, over 300 schools are acknowledged by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in terms of high quality and standard teaching.
If you plan on studying Aerospace Engineering, there are many more professional opportunities in the U.S. thanks to NASA’s large experience and budget, which has encouraged American companies to lead the struggle of making space travel commercially viable. This means that your Aerospace Engineering degree will include visits and research projects held at NASA or other reputed aerospace institutes.
Popular Engineering Master's degrees in the U.S.:
- Masters in Chemical Engineering
- Masters in Civil Engineering
- Masters in Environmental Engineering
- Masters in Electrical Engineering
- Masters in Mechanical Engineering
On the other side of the Atlantic, Engineering study programmes will be more accessible and affordable in Germany. You will find extensive programmes in Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, reflecting the centuries of German ingenuity that gave us inventions like aspirin, the printing press and gummy bears.
During an Engineering course, you get the chance to engage in intriguing research within famous centres like the Max Planck Institute; if you plan to specialise in Automotive Engineering, many German universities have partnerships with BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Siemens.
Popular Engineering Master’s degrees in Germany:
- Masters in Electrical Engineering
- Masters in Mechanical Engineering
- Masters in Environmental Engineering
- Masters in Automotive Engineering
- Masters in Industrial Engineering
Engineers employability after graduation
If you’re interested in getting a job as soon as you finish your Bachelor’s degree, then Germany is a good place to study, as you will likely find a workplace as your diploma is being printed, thanks to the high demand for engineers in Europe.
Statistics say Germany has one of the largest numbers of Engineering workers in the EU. In Germany, salaries for Engineering experts are around 48,000 EUR/year.
Check out Engineering jobs available in Germany
However, if you are aiming for research innovation and high academic achievement, U.S. Engineering schools allow you to pursue a lengthy education, maximising the chances of landing the top-level jobs in your Engineering field.
The average salary for a mechanical engineer, for instance, is over 65,000 USD/year, while for an aerospace engineer, it exceeds 80,000 USD/year.
Check out Engineering jobs available in the U.S.
Funding for Engineering innovation
If you are planning on coming up with the next best technological breakthrough, you need to pick your next study destination carefully. In the U.S., research projects organised by universities and colleges tend to focus more on the immediate profitability of the invention or discovery on the open market, influencing the amount of funding received for the exploration of ideas.
The number of grants and funding projects is probably the largest in the world, with Engineering ranking high on the American research scale, but the selection criteria tend to be more pragmatic, with a short or mid-term applicability.
Read the experience of Zubin who studied Industrial Engineering in USA.
Germany, on the other hand, offers many small-scale funding schemes for wild ideas and projects which have the potential of revolutionising technology and human knowledge. Nevertheless, if we consider the multitude of private funding opportunities for research in Engineering, the U.S. holds the most private enterprises and institutions which invest in research and development, effectively competing with universities and colleges for the next discoveries.