TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering has advanced in the 2026 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Engineering Schools Rankings, rising to No. 83 overall and No. 51 in public university rankings.
These rankings represent a 14-position rise over the last year, the largest such improvement for any engineering school in the country this year, making the Styslinger College of Engineering the fastest rising engineering program for 2026. Further, the College has risen nearly 50 positions since 2022, making it the fastest rising engineering program in the nation over the past four years, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“These recent rankings reflect both the Styslinger College of Engineering’s performance as a top engineering institution in the U.S. with strong, impactful research-based graduate programs and a growing awareness of the College’s excellence among our academic, industry and government peers. None of what we have accomplished, as reflected in these rankings, would be possible without the dedication, hard work and creativity of our wonderful faculty, students and staff,” Dean Cliff Henderson said. “The fact that our College has doubled its research awards and expenditures over the past four years is a testament to the remarkable work of our College family. The impact of applying research funding to educating and training future generations of engineers and computer scientists continues to grow every day. These ranking improvements are yet another indication of that progress.”
The College’s rise in performance and impact is also aiding in recruiting new faculty.
“Our success we have built here at UA continues to attract outstanding new talent, such as the two National Academy of Engineering faculty members who have joined our College this year,” Henderson said. “I’m looking forward to an even brighter future for our College as we continue to recruit world-renowned faculty, attract a growing number of gifted students, and utilize our research programs to push the boundaries of our fields, leading to innovations and solutions to important global challenges.”
Five of the College’s seven academic departments are ranked in the top 50 public engineering programs in their respective disciplines: the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics (No. 31); the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (No. 35); the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (No. 37); the Department of Mechanical Engineering (No. 50); and the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (No. 43).
The Department of Chemical Engineering has improved 39 positions in the last four years, and the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering has risen 41 positions over the past seven years.