About

Our Mission

Kate Gleason College of Engineering prepares students to meet the existing and future needs of industry, engage in research to address and solve significant engineering challenges, and work to accelerate economic growth through innovation and creativity. The college will provide an immersive education that meets today’s needs while we prepare you for tomorrow’s engineering challenges; support the intellectual development and growth of our students throughout their careers; engage in imaginative research that focuses on providing viable solutions to the real-world problems facing our global society; and partner with industry to accelerate economic growth both regionally and nationally.

By the Numbers

Student Body
Total 2,947
Undergraduate 2,547
Graduate 400
Male 2,242
Female 702
Diversity 23%
Asian 9.7%
Black or African American 2.5%
Hispanic/Latino 6.5%
Mixed Race 4.5%
Unknown 1.3%
Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing students 1.5%
Faculty/Staff
Tenure/Tenure-track faculty 87
Lecturers 33
Adjunct Faculty 52
Research and visiting faculty 6
Staff 63
Degrees Offered
Certificates 1
Bachelor's (BS) 7
Dual Degrees (BS/MS, BS/ME) 17
Advanced Certificates 2
Master's (MS, ME) 13
Doctorates (Ph.D.) 4

Key Facts

99.1%

Outcomes Rate

Six months after graduation, most graduates have entered the workforce, enrolled in advanced full-time study, or are pursuing other plans such as military or volunteer service. 

7

Accredited BS Degrees

Our BS degrees in biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and microelectronic engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org/.

48

Weeks of Experience

All undergraduate engineering students complete 48 weeks of cooperative education - full-time, paid experience in leading corporations around the world. 

104

Facilities

Laboratories, research centers, maker spaces, design studios, and project rooms house the latest in equipment, tools, and machinery. Together, they foster a creative and innovative learning environment. 

3:1

Male-to-Female Student Ratio

5th

Among Top Schools for Co-op or Internship Programs

Ranked among nation’s special programs for leading cooperative education or internship programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2024

7

International Programs

RIT Dubai offers 4 bachelors and 3 masters programs in electrical, industrial, mechanical, and microelectronic engineering. 

16k

Alumni

Trophies lined up on a shelf

Rankings and Recognition


U.S. News & World Report

  • Ranked 53rd in 2024 for Best Engineering Schools
  • Ranked 5th in 2024 for Top Schools for Co-op or Internship Programs
  • Ranked #86-113 in 2024 for Best Online Master's in Engineering Programs

Princeton Review

  • Listed in 2023 Best 389 Colleges – Nationwide
  • Listed in 2023 Best Northeast
  • Listed in 2023 Green Colleges
  • Listed in 50 Colleges that Create Futures

College Factual/USA Today

  • 2023 Best Engineering Schools: 114 out of 356
  • 2023 Most Popular Colleges for Engineering: 66 out of 180
  • 2023 Highest Paid Bachelor’s Degree Engineering Graduates: 72 out of 398
  • 2023 Best Engineering Colleges for Veterans: 46 out of 351

About Kate Gleason

Named after Catherine Anselm Gleason, RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering is the first engineering college in the nation named after a woman. Gleason was the first female member of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Concrete Institute. She also was one of the first women to attend an engineering school. Gleason held a significant role in shaping the trajectory of her family’s company, Gleason Corp., and she also was the first woman to serve as president of a national bank.

Gleason was born on Nov. 25, 1865, in Rochester, New York. Her interest in engineering was sparked by her father, William, who ran a machine shop. Gleason helped her father in his shop and later attended Cornell University, where she majored in engineering. Though she left Cornell to help her father run his business, Gleason later studied part-time at the Sibley College of Engraving and the Mechanics Institute, which later became Rochester Institute of Technology.

When her father designed and perfected a machine that could efficiently and inexpensively produce beveled gears, the family business grew quickly. With the help of Gleason and her brothers, the factory became the leading U.S. producer of gear cutting machinery prior to World War I. During and after the war, Gleason made significant contributions to both her local community and the engineering field; among them she served as president of the First Bank of Rochester and she developed a new method for pouring concrete.

Gleason died in 1933, leaving her estate to numerous local beneficiaries, including the Mechanics Institute, which became RIT in 1944. In 1998, RIT named the College of Engineering in her honor.