Jobs in STEM have some of the highest projected growth rates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 10.8% growth in STEM employment from 2016 to 2026, compared to the overall average of 7.4%. With this expansion in available jobs there are many colleges putting an emphasis on their STEM programs to increase the amount of highly skilled talent entering the workforce. While private schools like MIT and Johns Hopkins might first come to mind for STEM talent, there are dozens of public universities that provide an excellent top-ranked STEM education. Public colleges offer a college experience to students usually at a lower cost, enabling a more diverse set of students to attend. Expand your university recruiting pipeline and check out these top public schools for STEM.
10. Stony Brook University
Location: Stony Brook, NY
Size of undergraduate student body: 17,909
This SUNY school stands out for their commitment to STEM research and diversity in STEM. Stony Brook provides an Institute for STEM Education (I-STEM) where students of all ages are able to participate in STEM-learning activities. They also offer many options for summer research opportunities including “Explorations in STEM” which is a 10-week faculty mentored research program. This grant-funded program is specifically for students with financial barriers and/or those from underrepresented backgrounds, and was created to increase retention rates in the STEM majors. Some of their notable STEM alumni include Patricia Cowings, the first American woman trained as an astronaut, and Craig Allen an NYC meteorologist.
9. San Jose State University
Location: San Jose, CA
Size of undergraduate student body: 27,905
SJSU is located right in Silicon Valley, making it a hotspot for students interested in pursuing a future in tech. The university has a Center for STEM Education to expand STEM resources for classwork as well as provide a space for students to be able to mentor youth and incite an early interest in STEM. SJSU puts a focus on recruiting more women into the STEM fields through their Girls STEM Network program. They also took part in developing the first college-based cyber security center in Silicon Valley, an example of how students get a unique STEM experience studying in this area. Some of their most notable alumni became tech giants, including Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel, Ed Oates, cofounder of Oracle, and Jan Koum, cofounder of WhatsApp.
8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Size of undergraduate student body: 31,266
Michigan is a highly ranked public research university with many standout initiatives to be accessible for STEM students of different backgrounds. They offer plenty of scholarship opportunities for STEM students, and even have a program called M-STEM that aims to help diversify the STEM programs at the school. Through the M-STEM program students from underrepresented backgrounds can participate in a six-week summer transition program where they get to network with peers and representatives from corporations, work on their professional development skills, and get acclimated to the resources they will be using in their programs. At Michigan students the 42% of students in STEM majors can also join a number of specialized student organizations like STEM-I, a group that focuses on combining STEM skills with the finance and investing industry. At Michigan, the top three STEM major programs are computer science, mechanical engineering, and neuroscience.
7. University of Connecticut
Location: Storrs, CT
Size of undergraduate student body: 18,847
In 2013 this public research university received a grant from the state for $1.5 billion to expand their STEM programs, get more students involved in the programs, and build new STEM facilities. One of their goals is to increase enrollment in the School of Engineering by 70% by 2023, and increase the total number of STEM graduates by 47%. As a part of this investment they created a STEM scholars honors program which is very selective and competitive. However, if students are admitted into the program they get the benefits of monthly research seminars, personal advisors, grants for projects, and are able to be part of a STEM living and learning community. There are diverse and specialized opportunities at UConn, as students can choose from 52 different STEM majors to best fit their interests.
6. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Size of undergraduate student body: 20,454
For the 37% of students studying a STEM field at Cal Poly, they have more than 50 clubs dedicated to engineering, and 80 laboratories for state of the art research. They have a strong emphasis on “Learn by Doing” which leads to a lot of opportunities in field and lab work through classes and extracurriculars. They have a comprehensive Center for Engineering, Science, and Mathematics Education (CESAME) that provides resources and activities for the STEM students as well as outreach to the local community. In 2018 Cal Poly received $7.1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation to support the education of STEM teachers at the school.
5. Colorado School of Mines
Location: Golden, CO
Size of undergraduate student body: 5,154
Mines is known for being a science-centric school with a strong focus on research. The school is also unique in their approach to teaching the sciences with an emphasis on responsible use of the earth’s resources. There are plenty of opportunities for hands-on research at this school, with extensive laboratory space and the only Center for Space Resources in the country. Mines also has partnerships with government laboratories, including the National Renewable Energy Lab, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Geological Survey that allow students to participate in special research opportunities. This STEM-focused university has 99.3% of students enrolled in a STEM major, but their top three programs are mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering, and chemical engineering.
4. Michigan Technological University
Location: Houghton, MI
Size of undergraduate student body: 5,764
As a tech school MTU has an inherent focus on STEM, with 86% of students majoring in a STEM program. There are around 20 research institutes and centers here, so students have no shortage of great spots to perform cutting-edge research projects. Annually, MTU spends around $70 million on research, and includes a wide range of project topics like wolves and moose on Isle Royale, ion thrusters in partnership with NASA, gaming technology computer modeling, and developing better biofuels. They also have a unique “Enterprise Program” where STEM students can work with students in other majors to complete projects for real clients and sharpen their business skills. The top STEM programs at MTU are mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics engineering, civil engineering, and chemical engineering.
3. Texas A&M University
Location: College Station, TX
Size of undergraduate student body: 53,791
Texas A&M has been ranked #2 for both biological/agricultural engineering and petroleum engineering. As one of the largest public universities in the country, they have vast resources. They boast an impressive slate of research-trained faculty members including three Nobel Prize winners, nine American Academy of Arts and Sciences members, three Wolf Prize winners, and 39 members of the National Academies. In 2010, Texas A&M started a “25 by 25” initiative that aimed to grow the total enrollment of students in engineering to 25,000 by the year 2025. In order to achieve this goal they created many new programs to attract more students into STEM, keep retention rates up within the majors, and enhance the quality of their education. For example, they started their ENGR[x] program that requires students in the college of engineering to complete one career-oriented activity before they graduate, including options like research experience, a leadership seminar, an entrepreneurship class, or even community service. These programs create a more attractive program for students to join while also creating well-rounded candidates that will be competitive in the workplace.
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Location: Atlanta, GA
Size of undergraduate student body: 15,964
Georgia Tech ranks at #8 for top public universities in the U.S. and at #4 for best undergraduate engineering programs by U.S. News. They have advantages as a large public university and house the largest engineering department in the nation. In 2017 the school spent over $824 million on research which is just an example of their strong commitment to furthering innovative research. They also connect with the community through their CEISMC organization that works to increase the number of students entering into STEM fields from a young age. Georgia Tech’s top three STEM programs are mechanical engineering, computer and information sciences, and industrial engineering.
1. Purdue University
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Size of undergraduate student body: 33,646
Purdue has been ranked #9 in best undergraduate engineering and #1 in Biological/Agricultural engineering. At a school of such a large size it’s impressive to note that around 52% of students are studying a STEM field, meaning there are thousands of students graduating and entering the STEM workforce every year. Purdue’s STEM programs have a strong focus on innovation and creating a class of students that are well prepared for their future careers. One example of this is their Bechtel Innovation Design Center where students can access all the technology and resources they need to test out their latest ideas and projects. In this center there is also an emphasis on creating solutions to real-world problems, so students are encouraged to use the resources there for their own personal or entrepreneurial innovations as well. Some of Purdue’s alumni finding success in the STEM fields include 22 of the United State’s astronauts.
All of these schools put an emphasis on creating strong STEM programs through updated facilities, rigorous classwork, and real-word research opportunities. Public universities can have advantages for both students and the school’s available resources. If you’re incorporating public schools into your recruiting strategy, you’ll find a diverse set of standout STEM talent from a large number of colleges around the country.