Arizona State vs Boston University for engineering: which is the better choice?

The biggest practical tradeoff is cost and scale versus location and industry access. Arizona State gives you a very large engineering ecosystem, lots of course options, and often a much lower price, while Boston University offers a more urban, compact experience in Boston with closer proximity to biotech, robotics, medical-device, and East Coast employers. For engineering students, that means ASU can be excellent for breadth and value, while BU can make networking and in-semester internships easier because of where it sits.

Academically, both can get you to strong outcomes, but they feel different. ASU’s Fulton Schools of Engineering are much larger, with a wider spread of engineering programs, research centers, and student project teams. That size can mean more labs, more specialized tracks, and a big alumni base, though it can also mean you need to be proactive to stand out. BU engineering is smaller and tends to feel more integrated with nearby hospitals, research labs, and Boston-area tech. That can be especially attractive if you are interested in biomedical engineering, robotics, computing-related engineering, or interdisciplinary work.

For recruiting, ASU has strong employer connections, especially in the Southwest, with major companies hiring from its large engineering pipeline. BU benefits from being in a city where many companies, startups, and labs are close enough for part-time work during the school year, not just summer internships. That location advantage is real, but it matters most if you will actively use it.

Student experience is also pretty different. ASU is bigger, more spread out, and has the energy of a major public university. BU is more urban and less of a traditional enclosed campus, with city life woven into everyday college life.

If cost is similar, I’d lean Boston University because the Boston location can create more consistent internship access during the academic year. If ASU is meaningfully cheaper, that is a very strong reason to choose it, because its engineering opportunities are still substantial and engineering employers care a lot about what you build, learn, and do with internships, not just the school name.