73 Best universities for Optical Engineering in Italy

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Italy ranked based on their research performance in Optical Engineering. A graph of 12.3M citations received by 418K academic papers made by 73 universities in Italy 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. Sapienza University of Rome

For Optical Engineering

#23 in Europe

#123 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

2. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#31 in Europe

#136 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

3. University of Padua

For Optical Engineering

#43 in Europe

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 70,000
Founded: 1222

4. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Optical Engineering

#48 in Europe

#171 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 96,945
Founded: 1088

5. University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#70 in Europe

#227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

6. University of Florence

Tuscany | Florence

For Optical Engineering

#72 in Europe

#229 in the World

Founded: 1321

7. University of Pisa

For Optical Engineering

#83 in Europe

#251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 47,736
Founded: 1343

8. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Optical Engineering

#92 in Europe

#270 in the World

Founded: 1859

9. Federico II University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Optical Engineering

#101 in Europe

#298 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

10. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Optical Engineering

#115 in Europe

#318 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

11. University of Trento

Trentino-South Tyrol | Trento

For Optical Engineering

#126 in Europe

#346 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 16,239
Founded: 1962

12. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Optical Engineering

#127 in Europe

#353 in the World

Founded: 1404

13. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Optical Engineering

#154 in Europe

#402 in the World

Founded: 1982

14. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Optical Engineering

#176 in Europe

#445 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

15. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Optical Engineering

#187 in Europe

#482 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 44,338
Founded: 1434

16. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Optical Engineering

#191 in Europe

#493 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

17. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Optical Engineering

#193 in Europe

#499 in the World

Founded: 1117

18. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Optical Engineering

#199 in Europe

#525 in the World

Founded: 1877

19. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Optical Engineering

#206 in Europe

#547 in the World

Founded: 1806

20. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna | Modena

For Optical Engineering

#211 in Europe

#563 in the World

Founded: 1175

21. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#219 in Europe

#587 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

22. Roma Tre University

For Optical Engineering

#227 in Europe

#613 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

23. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Optical Engineering

#228 in Europe

#615 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

24. University of Bari

For Optical Engineering

#236 in Europe

#630 in the World

Founded: 1924

25. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Optical Engineering

#237 in Europe

#632 in the World

Founded: 1972

26. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Optical Engineering

#239 in Europe

#639 in the World

Founded: 1240

27. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Optical Engineering

#241 in Europe

#647 in the World

Founded: 1596

28. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Optical Engineering

#242 in Europe

#650 in the World

Enrollment: 24,780
Founded: 1548

29. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Optical Engineering

#256 in Europe

#701 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

30. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Optical Engineering

#260 in Europe

#709 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

31. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Optical Engineering

#268 in Europe

#726 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

32. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Optical Engineering

#271 in Europe

#734 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 26,069
Founded: 1620

33. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Optical Engineering

#279 in Europe

#751 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 16,800
Founded: 1982

34. Normal School of Pisa

For Optical Engineering

#303 in Europe

#812 in the World

Founded: 1810

35. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Optical Engineering

#307 in Europe

#825 in the World

Founded: 1990

36. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Optical Engineering

#311 in Europe

#840 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

37. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#317 in Europe

#853 in the World

Founded: 1921

38. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Optical Engineering

#322 in Europe

#874 in the World

Founded: 1978

39. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Optical Engineering

#328 in Europe

#906 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

40. University of Salento

For Optical Engineering

#343 in Europe

#946 in the World

Enrollment: 19,401
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1966

41. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Optical Engineering

#379 in Europe

#1078 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1987

42. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Optical Engineering

#386 in Europe

#1112 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

43. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#391 in Europe

#1132 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

44. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Optical Engineering

#392 in Europe

#1139 in the World

Founded: 1727

45. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Optical Engineering

#409 in Europe

#1216 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 24,716
Founded: 1965

46. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Optical Engineering

#423 in Europe

#1282 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

47. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Optical Engineering

#430 in Europe

#1301 in the World

Founded: 1558

48. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Optical Engineering

#449 in Europe

#1356 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

49. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Optical Engineering

#461 in Europe

#1431 in the World

Founded: 1998

50. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Optical Engineering

#479 in Europe

#1506 in the World

Founded: 1979

51. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Optical Engineering

#491 in Europe

#1552 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

52. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Optical Engineering

#495 in Europe

#1568 in the World

Founded: 1868

53. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Optical Engineering

#513 in Europe

#1685 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

54. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Optical Engineering

#514 in Europe

#1687 in the World

Founded: 1895

55. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Optical Engineering

#532 in Europe

#1789 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

56. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Optical Engineering

#538 in Europe

#1810 in the World

Founded: 1998

57. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Optical Engineering

#553 in Europe

#1845 in the World

Founded: 1999

58. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Optical Engineering

#564 in Europe

#1895 in the World

Founded: 1979

59. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Optical Engineering

#580 in Europe

#1955 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

60. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Optical Engineering

#662 in Europe

#2338 in the World

Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1982

61. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Optical Engineering

#665 in Europe

#2343 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 4,216
Founded: 1997

62. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#676 in Europe

#2392 in the World

Founded: 1902

63. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Optical Engineering

#752 in Europe

#2790 in the World

Founded: 1926

64. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Optical Engineering

#785 in Europe

#2966 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

65. Kore University of Enna

For Optical Engineering

#881 in Europe

#3422 in the World

Founded: 2005

66. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Optical Engineering

#929 in Europe

#3713 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Enrollment: 2,377
Founded: 1998

67. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Optical Engineering

#960 in Europe

#3901 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

68. LUISS University

For Optical Engineering

#1074 in Europe

#4425 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 9,080
Founded: 1974

69. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Optical Engineering

#1093 in Europe

#4517 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

70. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Optical Engineering

#1175 in Europe

#4921 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

71. Carlo Cattaneo University

Lombardy | Castellanza

For Optical Engineering

#1229 in Europe

#5164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1991

72. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Optical Engineering

#1230 in Europe

#5166 in the World

Founded: 1732

73. Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Optical Engineering

#1261 in Europe

#5362 in the World

Founded: 2004

The best cities to study Optical Engineering in Italy based on the number of universities and their ranks are Rome, Milan, Padua, and Bologna.

Engineering subfields in Italy

Acoustical Engineering71

Aerospace Engineering68

Agricultural Engineering29

Applied/Engineering Physics46

Architectural Engineering55

Automation and Control engineering48

Automotive Engineering53

Biochemical Engineering46

Biomedical Engineering54

Biotechnology64

Chemical Engineering65

Civil Engineering66

Computer Engineering48

Computer Networking69

Construction Management41

Electrical Engineering69

Electronic Engineering65

Engineering Management34

Environmental Engineering60

Firefighting and Fire Science26

Geotechnical Engineering66

Human-Computer Interaction68

Industrial Engineering34

Landscape Architecture43

Marine Engineering36

Materials Science73

Mechanical Engineering72

Metallurgical Engineering68

Mining Engineering26

Nanotechnology65

Nuclear Engineering40

Operations Research55

Petroleum Engineering36

Polymer science and Plastics engineering29

Product and Industrial Design34

Reliability and Quality Engineering53

Remote Sensing59

Renewable Energy Engineering58

Structural Engineering66

Systems Engineering70

Technical Drawing36

Telecommunications70

Transportation Engineering52