In this article, we will look at the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world. But before that, let’s take an overview of the global engineering services industry.
Overview of the Global Engineering Services Industry
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global engineering services industry has remained resilient over the years, with a market size worth $1.67 trillion as of 2024. It is expected to grow its market size to $2.04 trillion by 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.20% between 2024 and 2029. Although the largest market for the engineering services industry is centered in the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa are showing the fastest market growth globally.
One of the primary drivers of growth in the engineering services industry is the rising demand for infrastructure and the need for specialized skills across infrastructure projects. Since infrastructure projects are complicated and strenuous, the demand for innovative engineering services continues to grow. In fact, data from the US Census Bureau shows that the value of infrastructure building in the US rose from $1.80 trillion to $1.84 trillion between October 2022 and February 2023. The surge in the use of digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and IoT is also a primary force driving the market.
Engineering Jobs Outlook: What Does the Future Look Like for Engineers?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineers had a median annual pay of $91,420 in May 2023, considerably higher than the median yearly wage for all occupations: $48,060. Engineering field projects are also projected to have a faster-than-average employment growth between 2022 and 2032, creating approximately 188,000 new job openings yearly. Women are also taking an increased interest in the field, with more than 249,000 bachelor’s degrees in engineering awarded to women in the 2020-2021 academic year in the US. According to the Society of Women Engineers, despite the number of women attaining degrees remaining relatively the same, the number of women earning bachelor’s degrees in engineering and computer science has more than doubled between 2011 and 2020.
Further estimates by the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 76% of individuals with an engineering degree opt for occupations in architecture and engineering, management, computer and mathematical fields, business and financial operations, and sales. You can look at Number of Engineers by Country: Top 20 for more insight.
Prominent Players in the Engineering Sector
With the future showing an ever-increasing demand for engineers, prominent companies across the world are recognizing these trends and revamping their operation methods to solidify their position in the sector. Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) is a prominent player in the industry. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, this multinational engineering and construction firm functions as a holding company providing services in three primary areas through its subsidiaries, including oil and gas, government and power, and industrial and infrastructure. Widely hailed as the largest publicly traded engineering and construction company, Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) was founded in 1912 as Fluor Construction Company. It expanded by building pipelines, oil refineries, and other oil and gas industry-related facilities, diversifying its construction work into a wide array of facilities, including equipment rentals, nuclear waste cleanup projects, and other environmental projects. The company also undertook historically significant projects, including those related to the Manhatten Project, recovery from Hurricane Katrina, construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and rebuilding plans after the Iraq War.
On July 29, the company announced the signing of a contract with RoPower Nuclear for the continuation of its Phase 2 front-end engineering and design (FEED) work at its small modular reactor (SMR) facility located in Doicesti, Romania. This contract will be recognized as a new award in Q3 2024 and will allow the company to utilize NuScale Power’s SMR technology to produce carbon-free power. The contract will thus prove to be a significant landmark in the country’s progress in clean energy initiatives. Fluor Corporation (NYSE:FLR) has over 40,000 employees in over 60 countries, holding experience in engineering, supply chain, technology, and other relevant fields.
Now that we have taken an overview of the engineering sector, let’s look at the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world. You can also look at 15 Highest Paying Countries for Biomedical Engineers and 20 Highest Paying Countries for Civil Engineers.
15 Best Countries to Study Engineering in the World
Our Methodology
To compile a list of the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world, we consulted the QS World Ranking 2024 and made a list of the countries that appeared in the list of the top 100 schools in engineering and technology. We then consulted the Insider Monkey Global Education Index and ranked the countries according to the number of universities among the top 1,000 on the QS university ranking. We also consulted reputable online sources and Reddit threads to keep public consideration in view. We then picked the top 15 countries and arranged our list in ascending order of the number of universities ranked among the top 1,000 on the QS university ranking.
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15 Best Countries to Study Engineering in the World
15. Taiwan
Top University for Engineering: National Taiwan University (NTU)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 73
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 15
Taiwan ranks 15th on our list of the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world, with 15 of its universities ranking among the top 1,000 QS universities in 2024. National Taiwan University (NTU) is the best engineering institute in the country, and ranks 73rd on the QS ranking 2024 for engineering and technology.
14. Malaysia
Top University for Engineering: Universiti Malaya (UM)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 62
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 19
19 Malaysian universities rank among the top 1,000 QS universities in 2024, with Universiti Malaya (UM) being the best engineering institute in the country. Universiti Malaya is a public institute in Kaula Lumpur, and was founded in 1949.
13. France
Top University for Engineering: Institut Polytechnique de Paris
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 34
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 25
Institut Polytechnique de Paris is the best engineering university in France, taking the 34th spot on the QS ranking for engineering and technology 2024. The institute is located in Palaiseau and has six engineering grandes écoles: ENSTA Paris, École Polytechnique, Télécom Paris, ENSAE Paris, École des Ponts ParisTech, and Télécom SudParis.
12. Russia
Top University for Engineering: Lomonosov Moscow State University
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 58
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 26
Russia’s Lomonosov Moscow State University grants it the 12th spot on our list of the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world. The institute is located in Moscow and ranks 58th on the QS World University ranking for Engineering and Technology 2024. Founded in 1755, the institute has over 47,000 students and more than 1,000 on-campus buildings.
11. Spain
Top University for Engineering: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 73
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 28
Spain’s Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) lends it the 11th spot on our list of the best countries to study engineering in the world. The university holds the 73rd spot on the QS ranking 2024 in engineering and technology, and is the first Spanish technical university. It was founded in 1971 by combining several Technical Schools of Engineering and Architecture formed in the 18th century.
10. Canada
Top University for Engineering: University of Toronto
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 17
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 28
According to the Insider Monkey Global Education Index, Canada has 28 universities in the top 1,000 QS universities 2024 list. The University of Toronto ranks as the country’s best university for student engineering, standing in the 17th spot on the QS ranking 2024 for engineering and technology. This public Canadian university is located in the area surrounding Queen’s Park and was founded in 19827 by royal charter under the name King’s College as the first higher learning institute in Upper Canada.
9. India
Top University for Engineering: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 45
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 31
India ranks ninth on our list of the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world, with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) taking the spot as the best engineering university in the country. IITB was founded in 1958, and ranks 45th on the QS ranking for engineering and technology 2024.
8. South Korea
Top University for Engineering: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 20
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 31
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, more commonly known as KAIST, is one of the top universities in the country and the best institute to study engineering. Located in Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon, KAIST was founded in 1971 by the Korean government as the country’s first public, research-oriented science and engineering institute.
7. Japan
Top University for Engineering: The University of Tokyo
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 18
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 32
Japan takes seventh place on our list of the 15 best countries to study engineering in the world. The University of Tokyo is the best institute in the country to study engineering, standing in 18th place in the QS world universities ranking 2024 for engineering and technology. According to the Insider Monkey Global Education Index, Japan has 32 universities in the top 1,000 QS universities.
6. Australia
Top University for Engineering: The University of New South Wales (UNSSW Sydney)
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 31
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 36
Located in Kensington, Australia, the University of New South Wales (UNSSW Sydney) ranks second in the country for graduate employability. The institute has a total enrollment of over 62,000 as of 2018 and ranks in 31st place on the QS World University Ranking 2024 for engineering and technology. UNSSW Sydney was founded in 1949.
5. Italy
Top University for Engineering: Politecnico di Milano
QS Ranking 2024 for Engineering and Technology: 23
Number of Universities in the Top 1,000 QS Universities as per Insider Monkey Global Education Index: 36
Politecnico di Milano is Italy’s largest public technical university and Milan’s oldest university. With around 42,000 students, the institute specializes in engineering, architecture, and design. The institute was founded in 1863, and ranks Italy in the fifth spot on our list.