Clark School's Online Master of Engineering Soars to No. 6 National Rank

The A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland ascended to No. 6 among online graduate engineering masters programs in the U.S. according to rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, the Clark School is ranked No. 13 among online engineering graduate programs for veterans.

The No. 6 ranking is the first time that the Clark School has received a top-10 ranking in this category. Previously, the highest ranking received was No. 12 in 2022.

“Online programs are an important tool in extending education access to a broader section of society. The Clark School’s online programs facilitate that opportunity with world-class educational opportunities and excellent instructors who address the needs of our students. We are incredibly proud of our rankings and what they indicates about our work to make an engineering career achievable for anyone who wants to pursue it,” said Clark School Dean Samuel Graham, Jr. “Congratulations to the students, faculty, and staff who continue to make our online programs a success.”

Offered through Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering (MAGE), the online programs deliver master of engineering and graduate certificate in engineering degrees of the same high quality as their on-campus counterparts: Bioengineering, Cybersecurity, Fire Protection Engineering, Project Management, Reliability Engineering, Energy Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, and Systems Engineering. In 2023, MAGE added online programs in Embedded Systems, Cloud Engineering, and Hypersonics to address the demands of the global marketplace.

Climbing 13 spots from last year’s position to No. 6, the Clark School’s online programs have consistently ranked in the top 20 amongst some of its finest peers in online engineering graduate education, showing a strong commitment to excellence in online learning. Proximity to the nation’s capital and a thriving technology corridor in the Washington, D.C. metro area opens doors to career connections not available through other online programs.

MAGE's graduate online programs in cutting-edge engineering fields are designed to be flexible and address the needs of busy adult learners, whose schedules or locations do not allow on-campus study, while remaining as equally enriching and valuable as in-person programs.

“Now in our 20th year of online graduate engineering education, I am pleased to see MAGE earn a well-deserved spot near the top of the rankings,” said Dr. George Syrmos, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education. “This incredible achievement and ongoing commitment to the engineering community is a testament to the outstanding faculty and staff who work so diligently to deliver a first-class engineering education to the working engineers and technical professionals who enter our programs with a unique set of career goals and personal priorities.”

“The challenges that we face as a society, from climate change to biotechnology to computing power, are solved in large part by the work of engineers,” said Syrmos. “MAGE remains dedicated to equipping our students with the tools to face these challenges now and in the future, helping to build a diverse and knowledgeable workforce of skilled engineers.”

U.S. News & World Report rankings for online graduate engineering programs are based on factors including student engagement, faculty credentials, expert opinion of the program, student services and available technologies, and overall student excellence. To view the complete rankings, visit www.usnews.com/education/online-education/engineering/rankings. U.S. News & World Report releases yearly rankings of colleges, universities, and high schools in the U.S. in several different categories.

To learn more about the University of Maryland’s Professional Master of Engineering and Graduate Certificate in Engineering programs, specifically designed for working engineers and technical professionals, visit mage.umd.edu.

About the A. James Clark School of Engineering

The University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering is a premier program, ranked among the top 20 in the world. Located just a few miles from Washington, D.C., the Clark School is at the center of a constellation of high-tech companies and federal laboratories, offering students and faculty access to unique professional opportunities.

Our broad spectrum of academic programs, including the world’s only accredited undergraduate fire protection engineering program, is complemented by a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, early hands-on educational experiences, and participation in national and international competitions.

The Clark School is leading research advancements in aerospace, bioengineering, robotics, nanotechnology, disaster resilience, energy and sustainability, and cybersecurity. From the universal product code to satellite radio, SMS text messaging to the implantable insulin pump, our students, faculty, and alumni are engineering life-changing innovations for millions. Learn more at www.eng.umd.edu.

Published February 7, 2024