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2023 Most Focused Colleges for General Materials Engineering

107 Ranked Colleges
3,415 Degrees Awarded
$34,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major” ranking.

General Materials Engineering is the 199th most popular major in the country with 3,415 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major” ranking, we looked at 107 colleges that offer a degree in general materials engineering. That schools that top this list have a program in general materials engineering in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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More Materials Processing and Manufacturing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The materials processing and manufacturing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for materials processing and manufacturing students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for General Materials Engineering

1

Out of the 107 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Socorro, New Mexico, and it awarded 19 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

2

Out of the 107 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Caltech General Materials Engineering Report

3
Alfred crest
Alfred University
Alfred, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Alfred University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major. This small school is located in Alfred, New York, and it awarded 12 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Alfred General Materials Engineering Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan Technological University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Houghton, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Michigan Technological University

5
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lehigh University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major. Lehigh is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It awarded 38 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Lehigh

6

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. RPI is a medium-sized school located in Troy, New York that handed out 37 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at RPI

7
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

8
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Worcester, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Worcester Polytechnic Institute General Materials Engineering Report

9
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 73 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Stanford University General Materials Engineering Report

10

With a ranking of #10, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at SD Mines

11

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 114 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Georgia Tech

12
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking, coming in at #12. Golden, Colorado is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

13

Montana Technological University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. Montana Technological University is a small public school situated in Butte, Montana. It awarded 4 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Montana Tech

14
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Winona, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Winona State University General Materials Engineering Report

15
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

With a ranking of #15, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cornell University General Materials Engineering Report

16

University of California - Merced ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at University of California - Merced

17
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 82 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Northwestern University

18
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. Virginia Tech is a large public school situated in Blacksburg, Virginia. It awarded 85 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Virginia Tech General Materials Engineering Report

19
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. Clemson is a public institution located in Clemson, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Clemson University General Materials Engineering Report

20
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #20, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 97 degrees to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Purdue University - Main Campus

21

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking, coming in at #21. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 119 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor General Materials Engineering Report

22

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #22 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Knoxville, Tennessee is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 57 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at The University of Tennessee - Knoxville

23
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drexel University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. Drexel University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Drexel General Materials Engineering Report

24

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 109 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UIUC

25

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Materials Processing and Manufacturing Major ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo General Materials Engineering Report

Notes and References

References

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