Best Universities for Optical Engineering in the World

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 377M citations received by 13.8M academic papers made by 5,380 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: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Optical Engineering

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,519

3. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Optical Engineering

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,900

4. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

5. University of Tokyo

Japan | Tokyo

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,479
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: 66%

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: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

8. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#7 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $23,397
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $60,201

9. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

10. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#8 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

11. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

12. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#9 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,455

13. Osaka University

Japan | Suita

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Founded: 1931

14. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Optical Engineering

#10 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

15. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Optical Engineering

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,390
Enrollment: 55,620

16. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

17. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Optical Engineering

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,844

18. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

19. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

20. Kyoto University

Japan | Kyoto

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Asia

#3 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Founded: 1897

21. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

22. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Optical Engineering

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

23. Tohoku University

Japan | Sendai

For Optical Engineering

#5 in Asia

#4 in Japan

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

24. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Optical Engineering

#5 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Enrollment: 12,576

25. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#6 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

26. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Optical Engineering

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,811

27. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Optical Engineering

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 73%

28. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Optical Engineering

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 60%

29. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,341

30. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 66%

31. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Optical Engineering

#7 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

32. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $20,869

33. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Optical Engineering

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 98%

34. Nanyang Technological University

Singapore | Singapore City

For Optical Engineering

#8 in Asia

#2 in Singapore

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1955

35. University of California - Santa Barbara

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,732
Enrollment: 26,068

36. University of Science and Technology of China

China | Hefei

For Optical Engineering

#9 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1958

37. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#23 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,017

38. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Optical Engineering

#10 in Asia

#4 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

39. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Optical Engineering

#6 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

40. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Optical Engineering

#11 in Asia

#5 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

41. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Optical Engineering

#12 in Asia

#6 in China

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

42. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Optical Engineering

#24 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

43. 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: 1445
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 65%

44. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Optical Engineering

#26 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

45. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Optical Engineering

#27 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,900

46. Huazhong University of Science and Technology

China | Wuhan

For Optical Engineering

#13 in Asia

#7 in China

Enrollment: 71,970
Founded: 1953

47. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Optical Engineering

#28 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 75%

48. 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

49. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#29 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

50. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Japan | Tokyo

For Optical Engineering

#14 in Asia

#5 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

51. Harbin Institute of Technology

China | Harbin

For Optical Engineering

#15 in Asia

#8 in China

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Founded: 1920

52. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#8 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

53. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Optical Engineering

#9 in Europe

#1 in Belgium

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

54. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Optical Engineering

#10 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

55. Nanjing University

China | Nanjing

For Optical Engineering

#16 in Asia

#9 in China

Enrollment: 56,068
Founded: 1902

56. 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: $26,044

57. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Oceania

#1 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

58. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Optical Engineering

#11 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

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

59. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Optical Engineering

#31 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 92%

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. Jilin University

China | Changchun

For Optical Engineering

#18 in Asia

#10 in China

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

62. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#32 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

63. University of Colorado Boulder

United States | Colorado

For Optical Engineering

#33 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 66%

64. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Optical Engineering

#34 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

65. Fudan University

China | Shanghai

For Optical Engineering

#19 in Asia

#11 in China

Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1905

66. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Optical Engineering

#35 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

67. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Optical Engineering

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

68. 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: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 77%

69. 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

70. National Taiwan University

Taiwan | Taipei

For Optical Engineering

#20 in Asia

#1 in Taiwan

Enrollment: 33,882
Founded: 1945

71. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Optical Engineering

#2 in Oceania

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

72. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Optical Engineering

#38 in North America

#3 in Canada

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

73. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Optical Engineering

#39 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1289
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 79%

74. Sun Yat - Sen University

China | Guangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#21 in Asia

#12 in China

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

75. University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

China | Chengdu

For Optical Engineering

#22 in Asia

#13 in China

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

76. Nagoya University

Japan | Nagoya

For Optical Engineering

#23 in Asia

#6 in Japan

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

77. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Optical Engineering

#24 in Asia

#7 in Japan

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

78. KAIST

South Korea | Daejeon

For Optical Engineering

#25 in Asia

#2 in South Korea

Enrollment: 10,249
Founded: 1971

79. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Optical Engineering

#13 in Europe

#2 in Germany

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

80. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#40 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $32,964

81. Tianjin University

China | Tianjin

For Optical Engineering

#26 in Asia

#14 in China

Enrollment: 35,370
Founded: 1895

82. Lund University

Sweden | Lund

For Optical Engineering

#14 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

83. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Optical Engineering

#27 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

84. Vienna University of Technology

Austria | Vienna

For Optical Engineering

#15 in Europe

#1 in Austria

Enrollment: 29,341
Founded: 1872

85. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Optical Engineering

#3 in Oceania

#3 in Australia

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

86. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Optical Engineering

#16 in Europe

#3 in Germany

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

87. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Optical Engineering

#17 in Europe

#1 in Russia

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

88. Wuhan University

China | Wuhan

For Optical Engineering

#28 in Asia

#15 in China

Enrollment: 60,000
Founded: 1893

89. Xi'an Jiaotong University

China | Xi'an

For Optical Engineering

#29 in Asia

#16 in China

Enrollment: 40,346
Founded: 1896

90. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Optical Engineering

#18 in Europe

#4 in Germany

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

91. South China University of Technology

China | Guangzhou

For Optical Engineering

#30 in Asia

#17 in China

Enrollment: 42,720
Founded: 1952

92. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Optical Engineering

#19 in Europe

#1 in Denmark

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

93. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Optical Engineering

#4 in Oceania

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 63,864
Founded: 1949

94. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Optical Engineering

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

95. Shandong University

China | Jinan

For Optical Engineering

#31 in Asia

#18 in China

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

96. Southeast University

China | Nanjing

For Optical Engineering

#32 in Asia

#19 in China

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 30,664
Founded: 1902

97. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Optical Engineering

#20 in Europe

#5 in Germany

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 39,658
Founded: 1743

98. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#41 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

99. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Optical Engineering

#42 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,126
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

100. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Optical Engineering

#43 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

Engineering subfields in the World

Acoustical Engineering4702

Aerospace Engineering4547

Agricultural Engineering1024

Applied/Engineering Physics1488

Architectural Engineering1743

Architecture1387

Automation and Control engineering1916

Automotive Engineering2369

Aviation1052

Biochemical Engineering1346

Biomedical Engineering1803

Biotechnology3326

Chemical Engineering4419

Civil Engineering3701

Computer Engineering2154

Computer Networking4638

Construction Management1202

Electrical Engineering5074

Electronic Engineering3524

Engineering Management1577

Environmental Engineering2968

Firefighting and Fire Science1010

Geotechnical Engineering3520

Human-Computer Interaction2987

Industrial Engineering1027

Landscape Architecture1106

Marine Engineering1065

Materials Science5843

Mechanical Engineering5484

Metallurgical Engineering5002

Mining Engineering1000

Nanotechnology4181

Nuclear Engineering1096

Operations Research2300

Petroleum Engineering1388

Polymer science and Plastics engineering1015

Product and Industrial Design1014

Reliability and Quality Engineering2121

Remote Sensing2403

Renewable Energy Engineering2297

Robotics1602

Structural Engineering4056

Systems Engineering3462

Technical Drawing1117

Telecommunications4757

Transportation Engineering1845