2027 Best Value Agricultural Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Agricultural Engineering](/majors/engineering/agricultural-engineering-ae/) 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 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value agricultural engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Agricultural Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agricultural engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agricultural Engineering Schools
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned the #1 spot for value among agricultural engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agricultural engineering graduates is $21,350. Agricultural Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $62,032 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,350 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Purdue University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Agricultural Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,000 in student loans. Early-career agricultural engineering graduates make about $72,168. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,872 in student loans. Agricultural Engineering graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $62,981 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value agricultural engineering schools. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agricultural engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $67,746. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Michigan State University earned it the #5 place for agricultural engineering. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agricultural engineering graduates is $28,000. Soon after graduation, agricultural engineering degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $65,396. Set against $28,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 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.
