Best Electrical Engineering Degree Programs in Massachusetts in 2026
The best electrical engineering degree programs in Massachusetts offer several ways to connect circuits, computing and design. Our 2026 editorial ranking examines three bachelor's programs: MIT in Cambridge, Northeastern in Boston and WPI in Worcester. Their differences are practical: how much computing is required, how projects shape the curriculum, and how work experience fits into the study plan.
Use the ranked reviews to decide which academic structure matches your interests. MIT's degree is Electrical Engineering with Computing; WPI awards Electrical and Computer Engineering. We preserve those names because their computing requirements matter when comparing them with Northeastern's Electrical Engineering degree.
Electrical Engineering bachelor’s rankings by state+
Jump to a program +
Inside this ranking
How we ranked electrical engineering bachelor’s programs in Massachusetts
This selected ranking covers three Massachusetts institutions with individually reviewed bachelor's curricula, admission information and current cost sources. It includes both EE and closely related ECE degrees with substantial electrical study. It is not a census of every Massachusetts program.
MIT leads this reviewed set for the explicit connection among computing, two electrical engineering tracks and integrative design. Northeastern follows for its application-led EE core and defined co-op preparation. WPI completes the list with flexible ECE distribution requirements and sustained project work. These positions express our editorial judgment about the reviewed programs; they are not calculated from institutional size or third-party ranking lists.
SB in Electrical Engineering with Computing (Course 6-5)
Cambridge, MA
Study format
On campus
2026–27 tuition
$33,360 per fall or spring term
Cost basis & conditions +
Full regular undergraduate tuition per term, before financial aid. Full tuition in either term covers January Independent Activities Period. Student fees, housing, food and other living expenses are separate.
MIT's current electrical engineering degree is Course 6-5, Electrical Engineering with Computing. The curriculum deliberately connects computation with physical system design. Programming, algorithms, linear algebra and probability support core work in computation structures, circuits and signal processing. The degree chart requires an integrative design lab, project-based laboratory experience and study in two electrical engineering tracks. This is a particularly clear curriculum for students who want to understand the hardware, mathematics and software behind a working system.
Where it stands out
MIT fits students who want substantial computing inside an electrical engineering degree. The published track structure supports depth in more than one EE area, while laboratory and communication requirements make design and explanation part of the academic work.
What to weigh
Computing is a required part of the foundation. A student seeking a degree organized mainly around electric power should compare the available EE tracks carefully. MIT also counts academic work in its own units; these should not be compared directly with semester-credit totals.
The undergraduate full-time tuition rate applies to academic terms. The Boston comprehensive fee is an additional $788 per semester, with a $1,576 annual maximum. Housing, meals, insurance and other applicable charges are separate. Reduced loads and overloads follow their own billing policy.
Northeastern’s electrical engineering curriculum introduces applications early and gives cooperative education a defined place in academic planning. The Boston BSEE includes circuits and signals through biomedical applications and embedded design through robotics before moving into electronics, linear systems and electromagnetics. A two-course capstone closes the technical sequence. The catalog also includes professional preparation for co-op and explains how a successful co-op experience can fulfill a university experiential requirement. This combination is worth examining if you want your choice of electrical engineering specialty to develop through both classes and work experience.
Where it stands out
Northeastern suits students who want exposure to physical devices and embedded systems early in the degree, then room to explore technical electives or the optional semiconductor concentration. Its co-op preparation gives work experience a clearer connection to the academic plan.
What to weigh
The 133-hour degree requires careful scheduling around electives, university requirements and the capstone sequence. Co-op preparation does not guarantee a particular job or employer. Review the study calendar and experiential requirements for your plan, especially if transferring coursework or changing majors.
University undergraduate tuition before aid. Annual student life and health/wellness fees add $492 and $810; new-student orientation is $200. Housing, meals, insurance and applicable project or overload charges are separate. A global project fee can apply while regular tuition continues.
WPI's electrical and computer engineering degree makes project work a central part of the undergraduate experience. Its distribution requirements give students room to assemble an ECE course plan while retaining foundations in mathematics, physics, electrical engineering and embedded computing. The capstone design requirement is normally met through the major project, and the Interactive Qualifying Project connects technical learning with broader questions. Seven-week terms give this curriculum a different rhythm from a conventional semester schedule. The department's examples range from wearable sensors to autonomous vehicles, giving prospective students concrete ways to investigate its approach before applying.
Where it stands out
WPI fits students who want to build a coherent technical portfolio through projects and choose courses across electronics and computing. The approved EE options include communications, control, electric power and semiconductor topics, making the course-selection conversation with an advisor especially useful.
What to weigh
Curricular flexibility places more responsibility on the student to plan prerequisites and depth. Short terms also make pacing an important consideration. Compare the full financial-aid offer and project-related expenses with the annual tuition figure, particularly if considering an off-campus global project.
What matters in electrical engineering bachelor’s programs in Massachusetts
Electrical depth and computing
We examine the required electrical subjects and how programming or computer engineering supports them, keeping each degree title visible.
Projects and work experience
We distinguish required design and capstone work from optional research, and co-op preparation from a guaranteed placement.
A workable academic and financial plan
We consider course structure, application requirements and the conditions behind each tuition figure.
Choosing a Massachusetts electrical engineering curriculum
Start with the required work, especially if your interests span electronics and software. MIT's Course 6-5 chart places programming, algorithms and computation structures alongside electrical circuits and signal processing. It also requires work in two EE tracks. That structure suits students who want computation to be part of their electrical foundation from the outset.
Northeastern's Boston BSEE introduces circuits and signals through biomedical applications and embedded design through robotics. WPI uses a more flexible distribution model: its ECE major requirements specify electrical, embedded-computing and design work while leaving room to choose the courses that provide that depth.
How projects and co-op affect the degree plan
Project experience takes different forms across these three schools. MIT includes an integrative design lab and a project-based laboratory requirement. Northeastern publishes a two-course ECE capstone and an introduction to co-op education. WPI incorporates its major project into the ECE requirements and normally uses that project to satisfy capstone design.
The calendar deserves attention too. WPI describes a normal residency of 16 terms, and the university uses seven-week terms. Northeastern applicants should compare the academic and work terms in their intended co-op plan. An attractive project or employer list is most useful when you can see where it fits alongside prerequisites, graduation requirements and the time you can commit to the degree.
Comparing Massachusetts tuition and application requirements
Keep the billing period visible. MIT and Northeastern publish undergraduate tuition by term in these reviews; WPI publishes an annual full-time rate as well as a semester rate. Housing, meals, fees and insurance can add materially to each figure. At WPI, global project charges may apply while regular tuition continues, so project funding belongs in the financial-aid comparison.
Application requirements also differ. MIT requires the SAT or ACT, while WPI is test optional. WPI and Northeastern require teacher and counselor recommendations in their first-year application materials. Build the application list around programs you would actually attend and compare each aid offer on the same annual basis. Our engineering degree cost guide explains tuition, net price and other expenses.
Questions, answered
What else should you know?
Is MIT’s electrical engineering bachelor’s degree called EECS?+
The reviewed undergraduate degree is the SB in Electrical Engineering with Computing, Course 6-5. MIT's department covers electrical engineering and computer science more broadly, but applicants should use the specific Course 6-5 degree chart when evaluating this electrical engineering route.
Does WPI offer an electrical engineering bachelor’s degree?+
WPI offers a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Its required distribution includes electrical engineering, embedded computing and design, so it belongs in this electrical engineering ranking with its full degree name retained.
Does Northeastern guarantee a co-op job?+
The reviewed catalog includes co-op preparation and explains how a successful co-op can meet an experiential-learning requirement. That is not a promise of a specific employer or job. Review the program's co-op plan and application process when deciding how work experience fits your degree.
Does this ranking cover every electrical engineering degree program in Massachusetts?+
No. It is an editorial ranking of three individually reviewed bachelor's programs, chosen for their distinct academic structures and documented requirements. See our methodology and the national electrical engineering ranking for the selection approach and additional schools.
Keep researching
Choosing a electrical engineering degree
Learn what an electrical engineering degree covers, including circuits, signals, lab work and design, plus admissions, transfer and online study.
