College of Engineering reaches historic milestones in enrollment, national ranking

Investments in academic excellence and student success have been instrumental in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering reaching historic milestones in both student enrollment and national rankings for the 2024-25 academic year.

The annual UNL student census, released in early September 2024, shows the college’s total enrollment increased 8.1% to 4,353, bolstered by a record undergraduate enrollment of 3,722 (a 9.1% increase).

And, the college improved 11 spots to No. 71 in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings, an annual evaluation of engineering programs where the highest degree offered is a doctorate. The rankings were released Sept. 24, 2024.

Lance C. Pérez, Fred Hunzeker Dean of Engineering, credited a collective effort to move the college forward in national perception. That effort includes $115 million raised to build Kiewit Hall; expanded scholarship opportunities, including the Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy and the Kiewit Scholars programs; 68 new faculty hires in the last six years; increases in research funding; and greater levels of career excellence by engineering graduates. 

“Our recent significant investments have generated a real excitement around Nebraska Engineering, capturing greater attention nationally,” Pérez said. “However, the true heart of our success lies in our dedicated staff and faculty. Their relentless commitment to fostering an environment where every person and interaction matters is propelling our college and students toward greater achievements.” 

In the Biological / Agricultural Engineering category, UNL's program ranks 10^th.  

The college’s record enrollment totals for 2024-25 also include a 10% increase in both graduate and undergraduate female students and a similar growth in the number of underrepresented minority students.

The 2024-25 student census shows the Nebraska Engineering student body includes students from 47 of the 50 U.S. states and nearly three-fourths of Nebraska’s counties.

These totals were part of the university’s overall enrollment increase of 1.7%, bringing the student body to 23,992. That total includes 19,305 undergraduate students (a 1.8% increase from fall 2023) and 3,579 first-year students from Nebraska, the largest in-state entering class since 2017.

Links:

• Nebraska Today (rankings article): https://news.unl.edu/article/unls-positive-momentum-reflected-in-us-news-rankings
• Nebraska Today (enrollment article): https://news.unl.edu/article/unl-enrollment-grows-positive-trends-seen-across-student-body
• Engineering Dean Lance C. Pérez: https://engineering.unl.edu/faculty/lance-c-pérez/
• Kiewit Hall article (Jan 2024): https://engineering.unl.edu/news/240122/kiewit_hall_opens/
• U.S. News & World Report full rankings: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineering-doctorate