I could not find any ABET accredited Engineering Physics or Engineering Science degree at SUNY UB (assuming this is Binghamton). There is ABET-accredited Engineering Science at Stony Brook but it looks much closer to Material Science than EE. If the interest really is more along the subject of materials science, I would recommend choosing a school that at least has a Materials Engineering degree if not Engineering Physics/Science. Florida Tech does not have such a degree, IIT has a Materials Science and Engineering, SUNY Binghamton does not have anything similar, and VT has both Engineering Science and Mechanics BS and Materials Science and Engineering BS.
My opinion as an engineer who worked a couple of years in the consulting design business with a BS degree and now have spent many years in research and development with a PhD in engineering is that a traditional engineering degree (design focused) is going to be much better for getting a job with a bachelor’s degree. I think an Engineering Science or Engineering Physics degree, like Physics or Applied Physics, is likely to require a graduate degree for a job. So it is fine if the plan is to go to graduate school, but what if your son changes his mind before he gets there?
Since this student is interested in graduate school, I am assuming they would be less interested in a program with a heavy applied design focus. Have you looked at the actual course requirements for the EE degrees?
My opinion as an engineer who worked a couple of years in the consulting design business with a BS degree and now have spent many years in research and development with a PhD in engineering is that a more traditional engineering degree (design focused) is going to be much better for getting a job with a bachelor’s degree. I think Engineering Science or Engineering Physics, like Physics or Applied Physics, is likely to require a graduate degree for a job. So it is fine if the plan is to go to graduate school, but what if your son changes his mind?
I agree with all the comments about other aspects of fit as well.