Have you scored 290 to 300 and still have doubts ahead of you? Will this score be enough for an admit? Even if you get an admit, what if is a low-rank one? Before looking at the university list, consider the parameters for identifying the safe and good ranked universities. How to avoid low ranked university traps While drilling down the one thousand plus universities in the USA offering graduate programs for international students in one place, you should consider two factors, the Opportunities, and the Reputation. 

Opportunities 

Universities that are high on opportunity tend to have a highly integrative result centric culture that stretches across different fields of study such as engineering, sciences, mathematics, and so on. For example, the California Institute of Technology is ranked 5th for engineering and stays on the top 10 for many scientific fields. The primary reason to go for such universities is to be part of the booming research culture that leads to innovations in the industry. 

Opportunities depend on factors such as 

• Research openings,
• Special Electives,
• History,
• Distinguished Faculty,
• External Funding

Reputation

University, which is high on reputation, is known to be popular for innovations ahead of the industry. For example, although the University of Tennessee ranks 7th for nuclear engineering, it is not so popular for any other department. Now, why should you care about this? Someone with a stellar profile of good 320 GRE, 9c GPA, and research papers will end up on the top quadrant with universities like MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and so on. 

Reputation depends on factors such as 

• Academic Curriculum,
• Infrastructure and Lab facilities,
• Student-faculty ratio,
• Placements post-graduation

The key learning you should take from here as a student who aspires to do MS despite some gaps in the profile is to avoid this dangerous area called the I.D.P. Zone ( Incentive Driven Partner University Zone). Universities in I.D.P Zone are relatively newer universities. They might not be attracting enough applicants and would pursue tie-ups with small admission consultants to bring in applicants, for which they, in turn, pay a hefty commission from the students’ tuition fees. For example, there are universities like Wright State University or Oregon State University that do this. Now, this does not mean that these universities are a strict no go. It is just that the direct application to these universities has the same chance of getting into, as that by applying via any counselor. 

The University List

Let us now discuss the list of 15 Good Ranked Universities for GRE Score between 290 – 300. 

North Eastern University – Boston

Building on Boston’s legacy of innovation, this campus has 30 plus federally funded research centers and 3D print models and laser cur projects inside the library. This university is quite a popular choice among mechanical and civil engineering aspirants. What makes this university top-notch is the Fall 2020 ranking in terms of Co-op programs for MS students that help them connect with industries for internship opportunities. North Eastern University leads this list over the MIT, Stanford, and Georgia Institute of Technology. The annual tuition fees are about $35,410.

University of Texas – Arlington

One of the most popular universities, the University of Texas, Arlington, mines with an environment that values excellence, ingenuity, and diversity. The University of Texas is known for helping students participate in a robust fleet of co-curricular activities that prepare them to become the next generation of leaders. Apart from Industrial Engineering, popular courses offered by this university includes Computer Science Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $25,200.

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Thirty minutes away from the cultural hub of the world, New York, this university offers students a variety of opportunities across domains. Reputed for its specializations in cybersecurity and privacy, Computer Science and Software Engineering in JIT also focusses on economic development. Two examples are the Enterprise Development Centre and the On-Campus business incubator, which currently houses 90 start-ups and the New Jersey Innovation Institute. They are also known for its strong research programs holding 187 government-issued paper by March 2014. This one is a classic example of a university that is so high on the opportunity factor we discussed above. The annual tuition fees are about $27,340.

University of Illinois – Chicago

One of the most underrated universities due to the lack of awareness, the University of Illinois, Chicago, is a very young university founded in 1965. The university has managed to increase its reputation in a quick period, the ranking being a clear indicator of the same. The University of Illinois ranks 6th in Pharmacy, 39th in Mathematics, 64th in Computer Science, 50th in Medical, and 69th in Engineering. The new Engineering Innovation Building recently opened in July 2019, houses instructional space, research labs, and faculty and staff offices. The annual tuition fees are about $18,428.

Stony Brook University

Located in New York, Stony Brook University is highly popular for its computer science and chemical engineering courses. From students graduating from here have a median salary of around $ 56,700. One noteworthy fact about this university is that it has a 2:8 ratio in terms of native and international students in engineering programs like CS and Electrical in the past two intakes. 

University of Maryland – College Park

Located in College Park, Maryland, the university ranks 17th in Mechanical Engineering and 82nd in Management Information System. Other popular courses offered by the university is the Cyber Security and Aerospace Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $30,912. 

Arizona State University – Tempe Campus

Located in the Tempe Campus of Arizona, the university’s most popular courses include MIS, Business Analytics, Biomedical Engineering, and finance. The annual tuition fees are about $26,788. 

Texas A & M University, Kingston

Texas A & M University, Kingston is a public university in Stephenville, Texas, which offers degrees through 7 colleges, 68 undergraduate, 28 masters, and two associate programs. It specializes in Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $10,249.

Stevens Institute of Technology 

Stevens Institute of Technology is a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey. It was the first college in America that was solely dedicated to mechanical Engineering. Amongst its most popular courses are Business Intelligence and Analytics, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. It is one of the oldest technological universities. The annual tuition fees are about $48,838.

University of Central Florida

University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university located in Orange City, Florida. It is popular for Civil Engineering, Data Science, Material Science & Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $28,657.

Michigan Technological University

Michigan Tech University is a public research university in Houghton, Michigan. This university was created to train mining engineers to operate the local copper mines, thus specializing in Mining Engineering. Other popular courses include Computer Science, Civil Engineering, an Cyber Security. The annual tuition fees are about $20,761.

University of South Florida

University of South Florida (UCF), located in Tampa, Florida, is the fourth largest public research university in Florida. The university is home to 14 colleges offering more than 180 programs of undergraduates, graduates, specialists, and the doctoral level. It ranks 44th for Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. Other popular courses include Information Technology, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $17,324.

California State University – Long Beach

CSU is one of the state’s largest university ranking 58th in Computer Science. Electrical, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering being other popular courses. The annual tuition fees are about $13,694.

Wayne State University – Michigan

Located in Detroit, Michigan, Wayne State University (WSU) is Michigan’s third-largest university. WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 350 programs to nearly 27,000 graduate and undergraduate students. WSU also has six satellite campuses in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and Jackson counties. WSU specializes in Data Analytics, Computer Science, and Electrical & Chemical Engineering. The annual tuition fees are about $31,499.

University of Houston – Clear Lake

The University of Houston – Clear Lake (UHCL) is a public university is known to provide courses in physics, maths and other engineering programs to NASA employees at the Manned Spacecraft Centre (MSC). UHCL offers 46 bachelors, 48 masters, and 3 doctoral programs, awarding over 2,100 degrees every year. The annual tuition fees are about $40,569.