The UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering and its graduate programs continue to rank among the upper echelon of universities in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report’s 2023 Best Graduate Engineering Schools Rankings. The annual report, released March 29, evaluated 200 engineering schools that granted doctoral degrees. The UCSB College of Engineering ranked No. 14 among public universities and No. 27 overall.  All five UCSB engineering programs evaluated this year ranked in the top 17 among public universities, including two in the top six.  

The materials graduate program ranked second among public universities and fifth overall out of 114 institutions that offered doctorate degrees in materials. The chemical engineering program ranked sixth among public universities and ninth overall out of 130 private and public institutions.  Out of 186 electrical engineering graduate programs, UCSB’s ranked No. 25 overall and No. 14 among public institutions. The mechanical engineering graduate program ranked No. 17 among public universities and No. 29 out of 180 private and public institutions. Computer science programs were ranked this year for the first time since 2018. Out of 206 schools, UCSB ranked No. 28 overall and No. 14 among public universities, rising nine and six spots respectively. 

Information used to compile the report included surveys submitted by engineering school deans and recruiters, as well as statistical data that included metrics such as acceptance rate, research activity, and student-to-faculty ratio. UCSB ranked fourth among public universities in the highest percentage of faculty in the National Academy of Engineering (10.1 percent). 

To read how other UCSB graduate programs ranked, click here.