Terre Haute, Indiana, is home to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Chauncey Rose and nine associates founded it in 1874 as the Terre Haute School of Industrial Science. It became Rose Polytechnic Institute in 1875 and took its present name in 1971, in recognition of the Hulman family’s support.
The institute later moved to a former Hulman family farm east of the city. The campus covers about 1,300 acres. Rose-Hulman concentrates on science, engineering and technology programmes.
U.S. News and World Report has ranked its undergraduate engineering programme first in its category for 27 consecutive years, as of 2025. Applicants can find current tuition, admission and enrolment figures on the institute’s website. Prospective students should compare the individual degree programmes before applying.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Master
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
Exclusively focused on undergraduate education in engineering, science, and mathematics. Renowned for its teaching quality and student-centered approach.
Research:
Focus on undergraduate research and design projects. Faculty are dedicated to teaching and mentoring undergraduate students.
Famous Alumnis:
Abe Silverstein, Marshall Goldsmith, Art Nehf
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
400
Current students***:
2200
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
20000
Pros
Top-ranked for undergraduate engineering education, exceptional teaching quality, small class sizes, strong focus on student success and career placement.
Cons
Primarily undergraduate focus with limited graduate programs, located in a smaller city (Terre Haute), demanding curriculum, private institution cost.
Best For
Students seeking a premier undergraduate-focused education in engineering, computer science, or mathematics, valuing excellent teaching, small classes, and a supportive, rigorous environment.
Harvey Mudd College is a private institution that lists Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics among its specialties.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology records Engineering, Computer Science, Physical Sciences as main specialties.
Specialties at Georgia Institute of Technology include Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a profile built on Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Science.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute lists Engineering in its directory profile, with private status.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Facultat de Matemàtiques i Informàtica in Spain lists Mathematics, Computer Engineering, Data Science among its specialties.
X - École Polytechnique, based in France, records Engineering, Sciences (Physics; Mathematics; Computer Science), Research as main specialties.
In France, Mines Paris - PSL is a public institution with Energy Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Mathematics & Computer Science in its profile.
Universität Augsburg (Germany) covers Materials Science & Engineering, Computer Science & Applied Mathematics, Production Engineering & Environmental Science according to its directory profile.
Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart in Germany has a profile built on Architecture & Civil Engineering, Geomatics & Surveying, Applied Mathematics & Computer Science.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When and why was the institute founded?
Chauncey Rose and nine associates founded it in 1874. The original name was the Terre Haute School of Industrial Science.
How did it get its current name?
It was called Rose Polytechnic Institute from 1875, and in 1971 it became Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The change recognised the Hulman family's support.
Which town hosts the institute?
The campus is in Terre Haute, Indiana, on about 1,300 acres. The institute moved to a former Hulman family farm east of the city.
What does it teach?
Programmes cover science, engineering and technology. Applicants can compare the degree programmes on the institute's website.
What ranking does it hold?
U.S. News and World Report ranked its undergraduate engineering programme first in its category for 27 consecutive years, as of 2025. The institute presents this ranking on its own about page.
How can applicants find costs and admission rules?
The admission and financial-aid pages of the institute list tuition, deadlines and test policies. Prospective students should compare them with the programme requirements for their chosen engineering field.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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