Best Universities for Optical Engineering in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Optical Engineering. A graph of 282M citations received by 12.4M academic papers made by 5,230 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Stanford University

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Optical Engineering

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

3. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

4. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Optical Engineering

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

5. University of Tokyo

Japan | Tokyo

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Optical Engineering

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

7. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

8. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

9. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

10. Osaka University

Japan | Suita

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1931

11. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

12. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $20,755
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $59,192

13. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

14. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Optical Engineering

#10 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

15. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

16. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Optical Engineering

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

17. Kyoto University

Japan | Kyoto

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Asia

#3 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Male:Female: 76:24
Founded: 1897

18. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

19. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

20. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

21. Tohoku University

Japan | Sendai

For Optical Engineering

#5 in Asia

#4 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,591
Founded: 1907

22. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Optical Engineering

#5 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

23. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Optical Engineering

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

24. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Optical Engineering

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

25. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Optical Engineering

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 73%

26. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Optical Engineering

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,698

27. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#6 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

28. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

29. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Optical Engineering

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

30. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

31. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $20,389
Enrollment: 26,420

32. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

33. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Optical Engineering

#7 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

34. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Optical Engineering

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

35. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Optical Engineering

#8 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

36. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

37. University of Science and Technology of China

China | Hefei

For Optical Engineering

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

38. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Optical Engineering

#6 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

39. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Optical Engineering

#7 in Europe

#1 in France

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

40. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Optical Engineering

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

41. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Optical Engineering

#10 in Asia

#4 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

42. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Optical Engineering

#25 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 63%

43. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Optical Engineering

#11 in Asia

#5 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

44. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Japan | Tokyo

For Optical Engineering

#12 in Asia

#5 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 10,357
Founded: 1881

45. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $39,775

46. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Optical Engineering

#13 in Asia

#6 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

47. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

48. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

China | Wuhan

For Optical Engineering

#14 in Asia

#7 in China

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

49. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#8 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

50. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Optical Engineering

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

51. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Optical Engineering

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

52. Harbin Institute of Technology

China | Harbin

For Optical Engineering

#15 in Asia

#8 in China

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

53. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Optical Engineering

#30 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

54. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#9 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

55. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Optical Engineering

#10 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

56. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Oceania

#1 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

57. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Optical Engineering

#16 in Asia

#9 in China

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

58. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Optical Engineering

#31 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

59. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Optical Engineering

#11 in Europe

#1 in Belgium

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

60. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Optical Engineering

#17 in Asia

#1 in South Korea

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 28,378
Founded: 1946

61. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Optical Engineering

#32 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

62. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Optical Engineering

#18 in Asia

#10 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 68,000
Founded: 1946

63. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#33 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

64. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#34 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

65. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Optical Engineering

#35 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

66. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Optical Engineering

#12 in Europe

#1 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

67. National Taiwan University

Taiwan | Taipei

For Optical Engineering

#19 in Asia

#1 in Taiwan

Enrollment: 31,799
Founded: 1945

68. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Optical Engineering

#36 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

69. Vienna University of Technology

Austria | Vienna

For Optical Engineering

#13 in Europe

#1 in Austria

Enrollment: 29,341
Founded: 1872

70. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Oceania

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

71. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Optical Engineering

#20 in Asia

#11 in China

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

72. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Optical Engineering

#37 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

73. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Optical Engineering

#38 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

74. Nagoya University

Japan | Nagoya

For Optical Engineering

#21 in Asia

#6 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,834
Founded: 1939

75. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Optical Engineering

#39 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 99%

76. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Optical Engineering

#14 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

77. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Optical Engineering

#22 in Asia

#7 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

78. Lund University

Sweden | Lund

For Optical Engineering

#15 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

79. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Optical Engineering

#23 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

80. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Optical Engineering

#24 in Asia

#2 in South Korea

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

81. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Oceania

#3 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

82. Sun Yat - Sen University

China | Guangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#25 in Asia

#12 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 65,638
Founded: 1924

83. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#40 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $33,499

84. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Optical Engineering

#26 in Asia

#13 in China

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

85. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Optical Engineering

#16 in Europe

#1 in Denmark

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

86. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Oceania

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

87. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Optical Engineering

#17 in Europe

#2 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

88. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Optical Engineering

#18 in Europe

#2 in France

Enrollment: 31,400
Founded: 2014

89. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

China | Chengdu

For Optical Engineering

#27 in Asia

#14 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 39,000
Founded: 1956

90. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#28 in Asia

#15 in China

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

91. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Optical Engineering

#41 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

92. Wuhan University

China | Wuhan

For Optical Engineering

#29 in Asia

#16 in China

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

93. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Optical Engineering

#19 in Europe

#3 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Enrollment: 23,321
Founded: 2009

94. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Optical Engineering

#20 in Europe

#4 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

95. Shandong University

China | Jinan

For Optical Engineering

#30 in Asia

#17 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1901

96. Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Israel | Haifa

For Optical Engineering

#31 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Founded: 1924

97. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Optical Engineering

#21 in Europe

#5 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 38,878
Founded: 1743

98. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#42 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

99. Xi'an Jiaotong University

China | Xi'an

For Optical Engineering

#32 in Asia

#18 in China

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

100. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Optical Engineering

#43 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

Engineering subfields in the World

Acoustical Engineering4449

Aerospace Engineering4303

Agricultural Engineering1031

Applied/Engineering Physics1260

Architectural Engineering1513

Architecture1232

Automation and Control engineering1820

Automotive Engineering2183

Aviation1020

Biochemical Engineering1129

Biomedical Engineering1654

Biotechnology3140

Chemical Engineering4260

Civil Engineering3470

Computer Engineering2056

Computer Networking4414

Construction Management1055

Electrical Engineering4893

Electronic Engineering3360

Engineering Management1383

Environmental Engineering2765

Firefighting and Fire Science1053

Geotechnical Engineering3318

Human-Computer Interaction2706

Industrial Engineering1025

Landscape Architecture1249

Marine Engineering1019

Materials Science5728

Mechanical Engineering5246

Metallurgical Engineering4859

Mining Engineering1031

Nanotechnology4040

Nuclear Engineering1013

Operations Research2129

Petroleum Engineering1251

Polymer science and Plastics engineering1013

Product and Industrial Design1024

Reliability and Quality Engineering1970

Remote Sensing2188

Renewable Energy Engineering2152

Robotics1498

Structural Engineering3835

Systems Engineering3216

Technical Drawing1008

Telecommunications4557

Transportation Engineering1696