The Tickle College of Engineering enhanced its position among the top-ranked schools across the country, according to the 2026 US News & World Report’s Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs released on Tuesday.
TCE rose two spots to 64th overall among all colleges and remained steady at No. 37 among public colleges.
“We are very pleased to see our undergraduate ranking continue to climb, demonstrating that others across the country are recognizing the University of Tennessee and the Tickle College of Engineering as an institution on the rise,” said Matthew Mench, dean and Wayne T. Davis Dean’s Chair of the college. “With tremendous momentum and record rankings in our graduate programs, it is especially gratifying to see our undergraduate programs also advancing. This reflects that all of our students are experiencing the energy, opportunity, and excellence that a TCE education provides.”
The computer science program within TCE ranks 71st overall and 39th among public schools.
The university made a large jump in the “Most Innovative Schools” category, vaulting 35 spots to rank 28th overall nationally and 14th among public universities. In the overall national rankings, the university rose three spots to No. 49 among public colleges and seven spots to No. 102 among all colleges and universities nationally.
“I’m proud of the significant jump in our innovation ranking, in part because it shows others are noticing our big ideas and creative solutions in every part of the university,” said Chancellor Donde Plowman. “We are doing things like launching the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies, expanding access to education through our digital learning partnership with Arizona State University, and creating innovation districts to allow for more productive research partnerships with government and industry. All of this work is about creating opportunities for our students and for the people of Tennessee.”
About the Rankings
The information forming the basis for the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings was collected using a wide range of data sources. The rankings highlight colleges that excel in such areas as value, social mobility, teaching and meeting veterans’ needs. U.S. News ranks nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions, grouped within 10 distinct overall rankings in which colleges and universities are compared with schools that shared their academic mission. The full rankings list can be found on the U.S. News site.
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey ([email protected])