Rose-Hulman holds No. 1 undergraduate engineering ranking for 28th straight year

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology kept its No. 1 spot in undergraduate engineering education in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Guide, extending a streak that now spans 28 years. The Terre Haute, Indiana, school also picked up top or near-top rankings in several engineering specialties, career outcomes and earnings.

Why it matters: - Rose-Hulman’s latest rankings reinforce its long-running position as a national leader in undergraduate engineering education. - The school’s results may matter to prospective students weighing engineering programs, career services, job placement and return on investment. - The rankings also highlight growing attention to aerospace engineering fields tied to space, aviation and autonomous systems.

What happened: - Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology ranked No. 1 nationally for undergraduate engineering education in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Guide. - The school has held the top spot for 28 consecutive years. - Rose-Hulman ranked No. 1 nationally in mechanical engineering and civil engineering. - The institute ranked No. 2 nationally in computer engineering and electrical engineering. - Rose-Hulman tied for No. 5 in the new aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical engineering category. - Rose-Hulman also ranked No. 1 in U.S. News’ Best Regional Colleges Midwest category.

The details: - U.S. News based the overall engineering ranking on an annual survey of engineering deans and senior faculty across the country. - The survey covered accredited undergraduate engineering programs at institutions that do not offer doctorates. - Rose-Hulman’s aerospace ranking comes as interest rises in engineering applications for aviation, space exploration, propulsion and autonomous systems. - Rose-Hulman said its computer science program placed among the top 10% nationwide in a separate ranking that evaluated more than 580 institutions. - The Princeton Review’s 2027 rankings placed Rose-Hulman at No. 7 for Best Career Services, No. 8 for Best-Run Colleges and No. 14 for Best Science Lab Facilities. - LinkedIn’s Top Colleges 2026 rankings put Rose-Hulman at No. 1 nationally for job placement. - Fast Company listed Rose-Hulman as one of the five most notable feeder colleges for SpaceX. - A U.S. Department of Education early-career earnings indicator showed Rose-Hulman graduates with a median salary of $105,649 four years after graduation. - That median salary was the highest among colleges and universities in Indiana and among the highest in the nation. - Rose-Hulman’s nonbinding Early Action deadline for fall 2027 admission is Nov. 1, 2026. - The Regular Decision deadline is Feb. 1, 2027. - More information and applications are available at rhit.edu/apply.

Between the lines: - The rankings suggest Rose-Hulman is leaning on both academic reputation and career outcomes to stand out in a crowded higher-education market. - The combination of specialty engineering strength, job placement and earnings data gives the school multiple proof points for students focused on ROI. - The new aerospace category gives Rose-Hulman another national ranking area as demand grows in adjacent technology fields.

What's next: - Prospective students can apply ahead of the fall 2027 class through the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline or the Feb. 1 Regular Decision deadline. - Rose-Hulman will likely continue using its ranking momentum in recruiting students interested in engineering careers. - The school’s next major test will be whether it can maintain its long-running No. 1 position as competition in engineering education intensifies.