We studied an overview of higher engineering education in the United States, emphasizing on the cultivating patterns, professional certification system and registered engineer system. The cultivating patterns of universal genius education, opening teaching and university-enterprise cooperation, and the close contacts among engineering education, professional certification standards and certificated engineer system, help the U.S. universities produce qualified engineers, who can solve practical problems and meet the industrial needs. These provide a good experience and reference for the implementation and reform of higher engineering education in China.