2026 Best Value Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/mechanical-engineering-technology/automotive-engineering-technology-technician/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value automotive engineering technology/technician schools.
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2026 Best Value Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in automotive engineering technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician Schools
Cuyahoga Community College District earned the #1 spot for value among automotive engineering technology/technician schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,249, while out-of-state students pay about $7,249. Typical student debt for automotive engineering technology/technician graduates is $14,636. Early-career automotive engineering technology/technician graduates make about $39,394. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Stark State College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in automotive engineering technology/technician, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of North Canton, Stark State College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,790 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,886 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for automotive engineering technology/technician graduates is $17,349. Soon after graduation, automotive engineering technology/technician degree recipients from Stark State College generally make around $35,362. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Columbus State Community College one of the best values for automotive engineering technology/technician. Located in the city of Columbus, Columbus State Community College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,488, with out-of-state students paying around $11,224. Typical student debt for automotive engineering technology/technician graduates is $9,041. Graduates go on to earn a median of $39,435 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Owens Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value automotive engineering technology/technician schools. Owens Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Perrysburg. In-state tuition and fees average $5,870, with out-of-state students paying around $10,502. Automotive Engineering Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career automotive engineering technology/technician graduates make about $61,021. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Terra State Community College one of the best values for automotive engineering technology/technician. Terra State Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Fremont. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,748, while out-of-state students pay about $8,544. Automotive Engineering Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $24,070 in student loans. Automotive Engineering Technology/technician graduates of Terra State Community College earn a median of $63,495 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Indiana State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value automotive engineering technology/technician schools. Indiana State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Terre Haute. In-state tuition and fees average $10,258, compared with $22,322 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for automotive engineering technology/technician graduates is $26,990. Early-career automotive engineering technology/technician graduates make about $66,479. That is a strong return on a $26,990 median debt. Indiana State University admits about 81% of applicants.
Ferris State University earned the #7 position for value in automotive engineering technology/technician this year. Set in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,778. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the automotive engineering technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, automotive engineering technology/technician degree recipients from Ferris State University generally make around $61,949. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned the #8 position for value in automotive engineering technology/technician this year. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Students borrow a median of $19,187 to complete the automotive engineering technology/technician program here. Automotive Engineering Technology/technician graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $62,503 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,187 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
