Best Engineering colleges in Chennai 2026
173 Engineering colleges in Chennai charge between ₹8,000 and ₹1.47 Cr in the first year, and SRM Institute of Science and Technology - [SRMIST] is the highest rated of them. Every figure below is the college's own published number.
Engineering colleges in Chennai — at a glance
| Engineering colleges | 173 |
|---|---|
| Fee range (first year) | ₹8,000 – ₹1.47 Cr |
| Government / Private | 25 / 148 |
| NIRF-ranked | 42 of 173 |
| Highest package reported | ₹4.7 Cr |
| Top rated | SRM Institute of Science and Technology - [SRMIST] |
Which engineering college in Chennai is best?
It depends what you are optimising for. Each pick below is the best in this list on that one measure.
Top 8 Engineering colleges in Chennai compared
Rating, ranking, fees and placement side by side.
| College | Rating | NIRF | Fees from | Highest package | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRM University Chennai Chennai | 10 | — | ₹19.1 L | — | Government |
| SIMATS Chennai Chennai | 10 | #2 | ₹1.13 Cr | — | Government |
| CEG Guindy Chennai | 9.9 | #9 | ₹4.6 L | — | Government |
| IIITDM Kancheepuram Chennai | 9.8 | #151 | ₹9.56 L | ₹32 L | Government |
| SSN Chennai Chennai | 9.7 | #47 | ₹5.16 L | ₹89 L | Government |
| VISTAS Chennai Chennai | 9.5 | #61 | ₹4.4 L | ₹33 L | Government |
| MIT Chennai Chennai | 9.4 | — | ₹1.62 L | ₹36.5 L | Government |
| Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology Chennai | 9.3 | #53 | ₹4.83 L | ₹41.2 L | Government |
A dash means that college has not published the figure. Nothing here is estimated.
Top 25 Engineering colleges in Chennai
-
1
SRM Institute of Science and Technology - [SRMIST]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1985
10.0 Fees from ₹19.1 L 398 courses -
2
Saveetha Institute of Medical And Technical Sciences - [SIMATS]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 2005
10.0 Fees from ₹1.13 Cr NIRF #2 321 courses -
3
College of Engineering, Anna University - [CEG]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1794
9.9 Fees from ₹4.6 L NIRF #9 66 courses -
4
Indian Institute of Information Technology Design & Manufacturing - [IIITDM]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 2007
9.8 Fees from ₹9.56 L NIRF #151 Highest ₹32 L 27 courses -
5
SSN College of Engineering - [SSNCE]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1994
9.7 Fees from ₹5.16 L NIRF #47 Highest ₹89 L 27 courses -
6
Vels Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1992
9.5 Fees from ₹4.4 L NIRF #61 Highest ₹33 L 243 courses -
7
Madras Institute of Technology- [MIT]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1949
9.4 Fees from ₹1.62 L Highest ₹36.5 L 45 courses -
8
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1987
9.3 Fees from ₹4.83 L NIRF #53 Highest ₹41.2 L 117 courses -
9
Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R and D Institute of Science and Technology - [Vel Tech]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1997
9.3 Fees from ₹7.55 L NIRF #87 Highest ₹47 L 100 courses -
10
St. Peter's Institute of Higher Education and Research - [SPIHER]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1993
9.3 Fees from ₹91,000 Highest ₹7.5 L 65 courses -
11
Chennai Institute of Technology - [CIT]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 2010
9.3 Fees from ₹2.2 L NIRF #175 Highest ₹60 L 29 courses -
12
New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering & Technology - [NPSBCET]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 2008
9.3 Fees from ₹3.48 L NIRF #101 12 courses -
13
University of Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1857
9.2 Fees from ₹48,572 NIRF #18 Highest ₹6 L 272 courses -
14
Chettinad Academy of Research and Education
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 2008
9.0 Fees from ₹1.47 Cr NIRF #49 70 courses -
15
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Government · est. 1985
9.0 Fees from ₹75,000 NIRF #13 Highest ₹70 L 165 courses -
16
Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 1988
8.9 Fees from ₹4.5 L NIRF #30 Highest ₹12 L 468 courses -
17
Rajalakshmi Engineering College - [REC]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 1997
8.9 Fees from ₹3.48 L NIRF #86 Highest ₹31.31 L 51 courses -
18
GKM College of Engineering and Technology - [GKMCET]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 1996
8.8 Fees from ₹2.2 L Highest ₹4.5 L 35 courses -
19
Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University - [TANUVAS]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 1876
8.0 Fees from ₹96,055 NIRF #26 61 courses -
20
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21
Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University - [TNPESU]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 2004
7.1 Fees from ₹40,495 Highest ₹4.5 L 76 courses -
22
All India Institute of Technology and Management -[AIITM]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 2008
6.6 Fees from ₹1.6 L 107 courses -
23
National Institute of Fashion Technology - [NIFT] Chennai
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 1995
6.1 Fees from ₹14.09 L 16 courses -
24
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25
Indian Maritime University - [IMU]
Chennai, Tamil Nadu · Private · est. 2008
5.3 Fees from ₹8.65 L Highest ₹24 L 10 courses
Showing 25 of 173. Ordered by student rating; colleges that publish a fee appear first.
See all 173 →How to choose between them
Start with the fee you can commit to. Across Chennai the published first-year fee runs from ₹8,000 to ₹1.47 Cr, so the shortlist changes completely depending on the band you pick.
Government or private. 25 of these are government-run and 148 are private. Government colleges are usually cheaper and admit on entrance rank; private colleges are more likely to have their own admission route.
Check the ranking applies to your course. 42 of these hold an NIRF rank, but NIRF is scored per category — a rank in one category says nothing about another.
Then read the placement tab, not the headline package. The highest package is one student; the percentage placed and the recruiters listed tell you far more.
Frequently asked questions
How many Engineering colleges are there in Chennai?
There are 173 Engineering colleges listed in Chennai on this page, of which 25 are government and 148 are private.
What is the fee for Engineering colleges in Chennai?
Published first-year fees range from ₹8,000 to ₹1.47 Cr. Each college's own figure is in the table above.
Which is the best college in Chennai for Engineering?
SRM Institute of Science and Technology - [SRMIST] has the highest student rating among the Engineering colleges listed here, in Chennai.
What is the highest package from Engineering colleges in Chennai?
The highest package reported by a college on this page is ₹4.7 Cr. Packages vary by course and year.