Engineering is about using and developing technology to make things work better. Engineers apply science, critical thinking and mathematics to develop new ideas, product, and technologies. They make life simpler or more efficient or expand what people can do or consume. Engineers typically specialise in a field such as electrical, mechanical or civil engineering.
Australia’s Biggest Engineering Schools
Australia has about 24 universities with more than 1,000 students enrolled in engineering and related technology courses. The biggest engineering school in Australia is at the University of New South Wales, with more than 10,000 students. Here is a list of the biggest 24 engineering schools and faculties in Australia. The statistics come from the Australian Government’s higher education database.
| Rank | University | Undergraduate | Postgraduate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New South Wales | 6 938 | 3 686 | 10 624 |
| 2 | RMIT University | 5 979 | 1 131 | 7 110 |
| 3 | Curtin University | 4 837 | 1 319 | 6 156 |
| 4 | Monash University | 4 757 | 947 | 5 704 |
| 5 | Swinburne University of Technology | 4 202 | 1 133 | 5 335 |
| 6 | University of Queensland | 4 062 | 1 172 | 5 234 |
| 7 | University of Technology Sydney | 3 596 | 785 | 4 381 |
| 8 | University of Sydney | 3 172 | 1 097 | 4 269 |
| 9 | University of Southern Queensland | 3 740 | 448 | 4 188 |
| 10 | University of Adelaide | 3 197 | 778 | 3 975 |
| 11 | Queensland University of Technology | 3 207 | 484 | 3 691 |
| 12 | University of Western Australia | 2 593 | 540 | 3 133 |
| 13 | University of Wollongong | 2 006 | 788 | 2 794 |
| 14 | University of South Australia | 2 029 | 736 | 2 765 |
| 15 | University of Melbourne | 1 095 | 1 644 | 2 739 |
| 16 | University of Newcastle | 2 113 | 305 | 2 418 |
| 17 | Griffith University | 1 750 | 355 | 2 105 |
| 18 | University of Western Sydney | 1 322 | 236 | 1 558 |
| 19 | University of Tasmania | 1 250 | 210 | 1 460 |
| 20 | Australian National University | 912 | 321 | 1 233 |
| 21 | Victoria University | 1 071 | 148 | 1 219 |
| 22 | Deakin University | 932 | 263 | 1 195 |
| 23 | Edith Cowan University | 1 036 | 134 | 1 170 |
| 24 | CQUniversity | 915 | 152 | 1 067 |
Australia’s Top Engineering Schools
Below is a list of the top engineering universities in Australia. The rankings list combines (i) the ATAR entry requirement with (ii) a score for the engineering school’s size. The ATAR entry requirement is the minimum Australian Tertiary Admissions rank score to gain entry into a Bachelor of Engineering course. This was sourced from Good Universities (Top Engineering Schools). The Size Score (out of 5) reflects total students but with “extra points” for postgraduate and international student enrollments.
| Rank | University | ATAR | Size score | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New South Wales | 91.20 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 2 | Monash University | 91.40 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
| 3 | RMIT University | 85.90 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| 4 | University of Queensland | 90.20 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
| 5 | University of Sydney | 90.75 | 3.4 | 4.1 |
| 6 | University of Melbourne | 92.00 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| 7 | Curtin University | 80.00 | 4.1 | 3.8 |
| 8 | University of Adelaide | 80.55 | 3.3 | 3.5 |
| 9 | University of Technology Sydney | 80.00 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
| 10 | Swinburne University of Technology | 73.05 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| 11 | Queensland University of Technology | 80.00 | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| 12 | University of Wollongong | 80.00 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
| 13 | University of Western Australia | 80.00 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
| 14 | Australian National University | 85.00 | 2.2 | 3.2 |
What the rankings show
The engineering school rankings roughly show the relative strength of each school. To do well in the rankings, a university needs a large number of students (including international and postgraduate students). It also needs to be in high demand with school leavers, as reflected by high ATAR course entry requirements.