How to earn the West Coast’s most valuable engineering degree
Engineering is an exciting field with endless possibilities for your career – engineers go on to work in research, government and the private sector, and even use their degrees to work in fields outside of engineering, such as law, banking, consulting and more.
Engineering is also a global profession, making it a great choice for international students, whether you plan to stay in the US or move back home or abroad. Oregon State University (OSU) is one of the best engineering schools in the US, offering top-ranked graduate and undergraduate programs in bioengineering, chemical engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, environmental engineering, industrial engineering, robotics, mechanical engineering and more.
Here’s why Oregon State is the West Coast’s most valuable engineering degree:
Top-ranked programs
Earn your degree from one of the top engineering programs in the US. Eleven of OSU’s graduate engineering programs are ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s top 100, and OSU is ranked the No. 69 best engineering school in the US. OSU’s reputation is well known with employers, and between your classes and opportunities for hands-on experience, you’ll graduate with the skills you need to succeed in the field.
Your future career on the West Coast
Located in the heart of US innovation between Seattle and San Francisco, with close industry ties throughout the country, OSU is the perfect place for anyone looking to tap into the thousands of career and research opportunities on and off campus.
OSU’s major industry connections play a big role in ensuring graduates’ success. With over 450 companies recruiting directly from OSU, including major names like Tesla, SpaceX, NVIDIA and Intel, students have access to excellent career opportunities after graduation.
You can follow one of OSU alumni’s journey to working at Intel below:
As an international student at OSU, you’re also guaranteed to receive dedicated career support and résumé development opportunities. This comprehensive support helps students access these West Coast connections, resulting in successful career outcomes and high placement for Optional Practice Training (OPT), which helps international students stay in the US, with a two-year extension as a STEM-designated program. Over 540 current students are participating in OPT, with 66% of them employed on the West Coast.
Hands-on experience with world-changing research
OSU is also ranked as a Tier 1 research university by Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing it among the top research universities in the US. Research and innovation are major priorities for OSU, with nearly half a billion dollars going into research funding each year.
For instance, in 2022, OSU Engineering made history by creating Cassie, a Guiness World Record-setting robot who set the record for the fastest 100 meters by a bipedal robot. The robot was developed by Jonathan Hurst, a robotics professor at the OSU College of Engineering.
The university is also constructing the Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, a $200 million facility with a $50 million donation from NVIDIA co-founder and OSU alumnus Jen-Hsun Huang and his wife, Lori. This state-of-the-art center will house one of the most powerful supercomputers in the US.
Work with top researchers and gain hands-on experience through work with OSU’s faculty and programs such as MECOP, a prestigious paid internship program exclusive to Oregon. Through MECOP, students collaborate with companies to solve real-world problems and earn between $40,000 and $50,000 as a student.
Lifetime returns on your investment
Engineering is a high-paying field with high returns – especially for OSU graduates. PayScale Salary Report found that OSU graduates earn on average $20,000 more than the average US university graduate, placing them among the top 20% best-paid graduates in the US according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. This translates to an estimated $2.4 million in additional lifetime earnings for OSU graduates.
As a mid-priced university with a major return on investment, OSU is the perfect place to start your career. In addition to an already affordable tuition, the university offers a variety of regional awards and scholarship packages. You can see why OSU is a great option for international students looking to study at one of the best engineering schools in the US while staying within budget.
Interested in starting your career by studying at OSU? Learn more on our website.
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