Photo: Students work on an uncrewed aerial system in the Advanced Dynamics and Control Laboratory, which supports research activities to advance aviation and space technologies. (Photo: Embry‑Riddle/Bill Fredette-Huffman)
In this year’s U.S. News & World Report rankings, Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University held its place among the nation’s elite engineering institutions, claiming the No. 5 spot nationwide among Aerospace Engineering degree programs with a doctoral option.
The publication awarded Embry‑Riddle nine separate top-five rankings. Among regional colleges in the West, Embry‑Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona, campus was No. 1 for best overall quality and No. 1 in the Best for Veterans category. The Prescott Campus also ranked No. 1 nationally in the Best Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Programs category for schools without a Ph.D. option.
“These rankings showcase the immense value of our degree programs and reflect well on the collective student experience across our campuses, as well as our mission to be the global leader in aviation and aerospace education,” said Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. “This includes paying profound attention to student success, engaging students in innovative research, and fostering collaborations with industry to provide our students with unmatched opportunities for project-based learning and internships.”
This is the second consecutive year that Embry-Riddle’s Aerospace Engineering program at the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus has been named among the nation’s top five doctoral-granting programs, placing it alongside institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“We are proud of our program’s rich history and that it continues to excel and be counted among the nation’s best programs,” said Dr. Jim Gregory, dean of the Daytona Beach Campus College of Engineering. “Our faculty are creating an innovative environment where our students are pushing boundaries and shaping the future of our nation’s aerospace enterprise.”
Both residential campuses claimed the No. 1 spot as the Most Innovative School in their respective regions.
Among regional universities in the South, Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus ranked No. 3 in the Best Colleges for Veterans category for the second straight year, No. 5 in best overall quality and No. 8 in Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs.
Best in the West
For the second consecutive year, Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus earned the No. 1 Overall Rank among regional colleges in the West. The campus also ranked No. 4 among the Best Value Schools in the same region, a classification that factors academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid.
“We’re thrilled that Embry-Riddle’s Prescott Campus continues to be recognized as the best in the West,” said Prescott Campus Chancellor Ken Witcher. “Our top rankings highlight that we are providing our students with a world-class undergraduate education focused on real-world problem solving and applied research. Our faculty and staff are deeply committed to our students’ success, and we are constantly enhancing our campus with new facilities to elevate the learning experience for our students, who proudly call Embry-Riddle and our Prescott Campus home.”
Success Beyond the Classroom
Embry-Riddle was also recognized for providing students with opportunities to extend their classroom learning to real-world industry settings. The Daytona Beach Campus tied for the No. 14 ranking in the Co-ops/Internships category, alongside Harvard University and three other schools.
“Students are provided a pathway to internships at every opportunity,” President Butler said. “These opportunities guide academic and research interests, as well as open doors to incredible careers.”
Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report rated Embry-Riddle’s online undergraduate degree programs No. 1 among the nation’s private institutions. From 2016 to 2023, Embry‑Riddle’s Worldwide Campus — which serves some 22,000 remote students across the globe and features a broad spectrum of online degree programs — has ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 overall in the ranking.
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About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Embry-Riddle educates 31,300+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, and at approximately 110 Worldwide Campus locations through online degree programs. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.
