About the College
At The Ohio State University, we champion human potential through unrivaled experiences that bring together expertise, ideas and resources wherever we are. Through these dynamic and connected experiences, human potential blossoms in unexpected ways. As a community, we empower people to envision the unimagined, advance innovations and solve unrelenting problems at a scale few others can match — propelling humanity forward.
Together, we build vibrant communities believing anything is possible — and create lasting impact far greater than any one person could accomplish alone. As an engaged community of advocates, mentors, leaders, caregivers, innovators and citizens, we elevate the human experience and inspire others to do the same.
Ohio State's College of Engineering and Knowlton School strive to foster a learning culture that prepares students to be key contributors to society through their technological, professional and personal skills. Our faculty and our students thrive in an environment of new ideas and concepts that expand the understanding of science, engineering and architecture.
In addition to being an innovative leader in engineering and architecture education, we endeavor to fulfill our university's land-grant mission of advancing Ohio's economic mobility, competitiveness and standard of living through our contributions toward technology and creativity, continuous improvement, a diverse workforce and lifelong learning.
Students
Undergraduate enrollment quality has increased substantially while simultaneously growing in size and diversity. The number of undergraduate engineers and Knowlton School students has grown steadily, from approximately 5,000 in 2006 to 8,808 in 2021.
Transcending the traditional lecture/lab approach and instilling an early appreciation of the engineering profession, we distinguish ourselves by providing experiential learning for our students. For example:
- Dozens of student project teams offer hands-on engineering experience for students to get involved and work collaboratively.
- 95.3% of incoming Ohio State engineering students were ranked in the top 25% of their high school classes (2021).
- The university’s First Year Experience, Learning Communities and Undergraduate Research programs have all been named among the nation’s exemplary programs leading to student success (U.S. News & World Report).
| College of Engineering | Knowlton School of Architecture | Ohio State (Columbus campus) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 8,200 | 608 | 53,189 |
| Graduate | 1,723 | 161 | 11,278 |
| Professional | -- | -- | 3,305 |
| Total | 9,923 | 769 | 67,772 |
Academics
Engineering and architecture students can choose from academic programs in our departments of:
Knowlton School
Biomedical Engineering
Center for Aviation Studies
Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Engineering Education
Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Integrated Systems Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Ohio State is committed to helping students complete their degrees. In 2021, Ohio State’s six-year graduation rate was 88%, up from 79.7% in 2011, and well above the national graduation rate of 63%.
Engineering and Knowlton degrees awarded (2020-2021)
- bachelor’s: 1,881
- master’s: 490
- doctorate: 182
- The ACT composite mid-50% for incoming engineering students (2021) was 28-33.
Current Rankings
Ohio State’s graduate and undergraduate engineering programs are both ranked No. 1 among all Ohio universities and 16th among public universities according to U.S. News & World Report. The university ranked among the top 25 best value engineering bachelor's programs by Value Colleges. The College of Engineering ranks 6th in the country for industry research and development expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation. Ohio State also ranks 6th in the nation among public universities in private support, which was over $576 million for fiscal year 2021, when College of Engineering and Knowlton School private support exceeded $138 million.
Faculty
- 405 engineering and architecture faculty members
- 13 National Academy of Engineering members
Research
The College of Engineering is creating new discoveries across a broad range of applications and scientific disciplines. In fiscal year 2021, this research was supported by nearly $134 million in externally sponsored research expenditures. Industry R&D expenditures for the College of Engineering in fiscal year 2021 totaled nearly $34.4 million. Ohio State was named one of the most innovative universities in the nation (U.S. News & World Report).
More than 40 research centers and laboratories provide students with access to state-of-the-art facilities for research and teaching.
Diversity
Engineering undergraduate student enrollment is 11.1% underrepresented minority, 22.4% female and 6.0% international. Knowlton School undergraduate student enrollment is 23.7% underrepresented minority, 48.8% female and 4.3% international. Engineering and Knowlton faculty (tenure-track, clinical and research) are 8.4% underrepresented minority and 26.9% female. In April 2020, the College of Engineering’s expanding diversity and inclusion initiatives earned the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Diversity Recognition Program Bronze Award.
Alumni
62,460 known, living engineering alumni worldwide
8,838 known, living architecture alumni worldwide
