In absolute terms, the United States (371) and China (201) face no competition as regards the number of universities that they place among the top 50 engineering higher education institutions, all engineering disciplines included. However, in per capita terms, small nations shine brighter. Singapore, Switzerland, Denmark, Hong Kong, and Iceland take the five top slots.
Universities in the Top 50 | |||
Nation | Number in Top 50 | Population ¹ | Ratio per Capita |
| Australia | 57 | 24.5 | 232.4 |
| Austria | 5 | 8.6 | 58.0 |
| Belgium | 11 | 11.3 | 97.7 |
| Brazil | 4 | 206.8 | 1.9 |
| Canada | 43 | 36.6 | 117.6 |
| Chile | 1 | 18.2 | 5.5 |
| China | 201 | 1,415.8 | 14.2 |
| Denmark | 18 | 5.7 | 315.4 |
| Finland | 5 | 5.5 | 91.0 |
| France | 19 | 65.6 | 28.9 |
| Germany | 18 | 82.3 | 21.9 |
| Greece | 3 | 11.1 | 27.0 |
| Hong Kong | 22 | 7.4 | 296.7 |
| Iceland | 1 | 0.3 | 290.8 |
| India | 2 | 1,311.5 | 0.2 |
| Iran | 9 | 81.4 | 11.1 |
| Ireland | 3 | 4.8 | 62.2 |
| Israel | 5 | 8.1 | 61.4 |
| Italy | 17 | 61.3 | 27.7 |
| Japan | 21 | 126.3 | 16.6 |
| Korea, Rep. of | 35 | 50.2 | 69.7 |
| Malaysia | 2 | 31.6 | 6.3 |
| Netherlands | 27 | 16.9 | 159.5 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 4.7 | 64.0 |
| Norway | 6 | 5.2 | 114.3 |
| Poland | 1 | 38.2 | 2.6 |
| Portugal | 7 | 10.6 | 66.0 |
| Romania | 1 | 21.4 | 4.7 |
| Saudi Arabia | 6 | 30.9 | 19.4 |
| Serbia | 1 | 9.3 | 10.7 |
| Singapore | 31 | 5.8 | 533.4 |
| South Africa | 3 | 54.2 | 5.5 |
| Spain | 20 | 42.1 | |
| Sweden | 12 | 9.8 | 122.1 |
| Switzerland | 28 | 8.4 | 333.3 |
| Taiwan | 12 | 23.5 | 51.1 |
| Turkey | 2 | 78.2 | 2.6 |
| United Kingdom | 67 | 64.6 | 103.8 |
| United States | 371 | 330.3 | 112.3 |
| Average | 92.4 | ||
| Total | 1,100 | ||
| ¹ UN estimates for 2017. Taiwan: 2016 estimate from CIA Factbook. | |||
Sources: Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai and UN Population Division.
