Accreditation criteria for engineering education in the United States have evolved as the development of ABET, through periods of infancy, expansion, paradigm shift, refinement and standardization, exploration of reform paths, and the formation of a cul? ture of continuous improvement. From the perspective of historical institutionalism, the reform of ABET criteria is influenced by the U? nited States’ decentralized management system, economic policies and technological revolutions in different periods, the spirit of auton? omy and professionalism values, driven by multiple stakeholders, including government, professional organizations, universities and in? dustry, following a reform pattern that combines fractured equilibrium with gradual transformation. The early self - reinforcing mecha? nism brings incremental payoffs, while the locked state of thecriteria in a certain period leads to diminishing returns. Drawing on A? BET’s experience, it is suggested that China should establish engineering education accreditation criteria which run through general ed? ucation and vocational education and link up undergraduate education and postgraduate education, enhance the flexibility, inclusive? ness, foresight and orientation of criteria, grasp the key nodes of reforming criteria and break the negative path dependence, and build a governance network for multiple stakeholders to participate in criteria reform.