Thats not me fyi thats @Muu9 I still think I would choose michigan or uiuc over purdue just cause of their reputation and money not being a problem.
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I think Purdue has a better engineering reputation than UIUC. At Purdue, the engineering students are the stars, while at UIUC, the CS students are the stars.
Again - why?
Do they have higher career outcomes?
Or they just make you feel better because you got into great schools?
I guess my mindset is different because both mine āchoseā safeties - my son Bama over Purdue (with merit) and my daughter #16 of 17 she got into rank wise - but when we visited her campus, I called my wife and said, no matter how many we see or she gets into, this is where sheāll end up.
btw - her outcome - is a highly selective program and she came back from the first orientation (online) and said, wow, half the kids were Ivy, W&M and UNC types.
Other than bragging rights - and Iām not sure saying NU or Penn is seen as better for engineering - Iām not sure what those extra $200K are buying you.
Now, at Penn engineers might be more likely to end up in consulting roles, etc. but then thatās a whole other tangent.
If you do go to med school, Iām sure your parents will appreciate the save.
Any way, good luck with those and whatever you decide.
The college marketing machine has definitely worked on you 
I mean overall I think UIUC is ranked higher than purdue engineering. As well as the whole school itself.
Frankly employers will be more impressed when you say you went to upenn vs purdue. Its not a ranking thing itās just how majority of people think.
If cost doesnāt matter why would I go to a safety school it doesnāt make any sense at all.
Ranked by who? Have you ever looked at the methodology? All ranks have different ones.
hmmm - my son in Ogden Utah in his first job was at trivia and met a Columbia grad - both worked for aero companies. He said he made more. He couldnāt believe it.
You make a lot of assumptions.
The grads of EVERY school you mentioned all get jobs.
Given the strength of each of those programs, iām not sure i agree more impressed. Theyāre all ABET - thatās what job listings seek - ABET - whether itās these five or far less.
Their average was $85.6K so well above the others - but you have to look at the jobs - they have BCG (consultants). And their top 3 cities are pricey - Philly, Boston, NY. Unfortunately, like the others they have a lot more respondents (40) than they have respondents who report a salary (only 8). So you have to take that with a grain of salt. 20%.
btw - if you are looking at US News, Michigan and Illinois are 5, Purdue 8, NU 16, Penn 27. If you looked at the full ranking, youād find Rose Hulman #1 (schools that donāt offer PhD)ā¦was that on your list?? Itās outcomes are insanely good.
btw - this is the methodology - there is zero behind it - popularity contest. Thatās not how the job market works!! Of all the ārankingsā, this one is the most popular and it boggles the mind because itās completely useless. My opinion.
āIn the spring and summer of 2024, U.S. News surveyed deans and faculty members of undergraduate engineering programs accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Respondents were asked to rate each program they were familiar with on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2) or marginal (1).ā
UPenn, sure. UPenn is an Ivy. Purdue is the engineering school. UIUC is a state school. Itās not a ranking thing, itās just how people think.
Names open up more opportunities. There are schools worth investing in and there are schools that arenāt worth the price.
Why are the outcomes not showing that then?
hmmmmm - but if you want to believe that.
For investment banking and consulting, yes.
Most anything else - hmmmmm - nope.
And youāre not talking Penn vs. Portland State.
But itās all good.
Best of luck to you - I wish you well in your last 3 decisions.
PS - I added to the last message - if you want to re read again.
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Alright well then is UC Berk or Umich just state schools and Purdue above them? People would laugh at you for even comparing it to them? Itās not just about rankings its how people think.
Itās like comparing a Ferrari to a Honda. Sure the Honda may be more reliable but the Ferrari is a Ferrari itās worth the investment. Rose Hulman wouldnāt even be top 20 on the list if it were compared to the schools that do offer PhD programs. These programs are where people do research and how schools become more acclaimed globally. Masters programs directly give more credit towards their undergrad programs.
Why would I apply to such prestigious schools if rankings didnāt matter.
MIT is the one Iād say - wow. Just my opinion. Maybe CMU. I believe they are a cut above.
The others you mentioned are substitutional. Youāll have kids at all three that can get into each other.
Many choose schools for many reasons - location (where theyāre from), cost (Purdue is half the price of UM and a bit over half the price of UCB), etc.
Itās just like salaries are location based. My nephew is a CS guy (U Arizona Poli Sci) and lives in Manhatta and a two bedroom is $5800 - and itās nuts (and he knows this) - isnāt saving on his own but has a wife who earns too. The person in St. Louis may have rent in a 2 bedroom of $1500 - $2K. Of course, the one in Manhattan saves by not having a car.
So lots of variables.
I would say that all three - and not just these three - are getting jobs. Hence my son works with - hired at the same salary Purdue, UM, CWRU from lowly Alabama - and the same can be said of W MIchigan, Buffalo, Auburn, Akron, and more. The common thing is ABET.
Thatās what companies look for.
Here are a few listings - one for MechE and one for BioMedical. Many will be like this.
Minimum Educational Requirements
BSME / BSMET or equivalent preferred* from an ABET accredited program.
*You have a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from an ABET accredited University.
Thatās what they want!!!
Itās 2025 - the internet is the great equalizer. Even companies that go to job fairs on campus interview online - crazy but true.
Youāll be fine - itās just a question of expense.
The three you mention - UCB, UMich, Purdue are all FANTASTIC!!! But they will compete and work with and for kids from far lesser ranked schools too.
US News uses Deans to rank via popularity. Companies look differently - with many/most using ABET as a filter because ABET provides a standard. That standard is not different whether itās U Mich or Grand Valley State. The education may or may not be but not the standard.
This isnāt Flemings vs. Outback - Flemings is a prime steak, Outback is not. These are all using Flemings meat - but not charging Flemings price. Youāve only listed top shelf programs.
Good luck.
I think Umich is more respected that a school like W Michigan itās insane to even to compare the two. Iāve repeated multiple times that cost isnāt a factor. And yeah anybody will have to compete with someone at a lower ranked school but frankly its easier to stand out when you go to such a highly prestigious school.
Itās funny you say this - Iām in the car business Thatās a personal choice - just like this is. If you feel the Ferrari is better and your dad/mom can afford the extra loot, then itās great. Iāve said that all along.
I would not buy a Ferrari - or a Land Rover - but I know the ROI on these.
I wish they included the RHIT and Cal Polyās on the list. You are not going for a PhD.
We donāt know where theyād finish but given their placement is as good as the others, Iād like to think certainly up there.
Again, we are seeing two different things:
You want a school you can brag about and look good - and I get it.
I want a school providing a similar outcome for a great bang for the buck.
I think Ferrari to Honda isnāt the right analogy. Thatās MIT to Portland State
Iād say a Lexus ES to a Toyota Camry is a more apt analogy.
How you feel, itās fine - itās how you feel - and again, if it wonāt impact your parents lifestyle or retirement, then itās great.
Good luck.
If cost isnāt a factor I would go to CWRU. Private schools generally have better facilities - at OOS publics, your extra tuition mostly goes towards subsidizing the tuition of in state students
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I still think the engineering programs at Umich and UIUC are far better but I need to tour case western before I decide :).
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OP got a great merit there. CWRU will have the smallest classes, most flexibility major wise (seems OP isnāt quite sure), and has a top maker space. Itās a smaller school, next to Little Italy - thereās a lot to like about it - but OP thinks it lacks prestige in engineering. Not sure why - but thatās what OP thinks (they mentionend upthread).
I provided a rank - itās actually the highest rank for BME - at least in one rank. Thereās others itās up there - which makes sense - given itās medical strengths.
Where is Case Western?