2026 Best Value Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/chemical-biomolecular-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong chemical & biomolecular engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for chemical & biomolecular engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical & biomolecular engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Schools
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #1 spot for value among chemical & biomolecular engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,250 to complete the chemical & biomolecular engineering program here. Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 16%.
University Of Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical & biomolecular engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Typical student debt for chemical & biomolecular engineering graduates is $15,854. Soon after graduation, chemical & biomolecular engineering degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ohio University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for chemical & biomolecular engineering. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the chemical & biomolecular engineering program here. Early-career chemical & biomolecular engineering graduates make about $67,322. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Milwaukee School Of Engineering came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value chemical & biomolecular engineering schools. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee School Of Engineering is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $50,480. Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career chemical & biomolecular engineering graduates make about $55,333. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 59% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Miami University Oxford one of the best values for chemical & biomolecular engineering. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,519, while out-of-state students pay about $38,965. Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, chemical & biomolecular engineering degree recipients from Miami University Oxford generally make around $77,542. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
