2026 Best Value Software Engineering Schools in Michigan
[Software Engineering](/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for software engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Software Engineering Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in software engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Software Engineering Schools
Oakland Community College earned the #1 spot for value among software engineering schools in Michigan. Set in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,120, compared with $5,560 for out-of-state students. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $15,865 in student loans. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $43,205. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Michigan Technological University one of the best values for software engineering. Set in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $20,532, with out-of-state students paying around $44,807. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from Michigan Technological University generally make around $77,465. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Lawrence Technological University one of the best values for software engineering. Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Southfield. In-state tuition and fees average $44,760. Students borrow a median of $27,799 to complete the software engineering program here. Software Engineering graduates of Lawrence Technological University earn a median of $74,924 early in their careers. Set against $27,799 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 56% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 1 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.
