2023 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
26
Ranked Colleges
2,284
Degrees Awarded
$13,400
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 12,917 people earned their degree in chemical engineering, making the major the 70th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, chemical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,870 and had an average of $23,285 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,284 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,356 and $23,854 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 26 colleges that offer a degree in chemical engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent chemical engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the chemical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The chem eng school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $917 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Northwestern Chemical Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 177 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M also took the #1 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,670 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at U-M
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 237 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,853 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Purdue University - Main Campus Chemical Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $4,788 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at UW - Madison
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 181 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at UIUC
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 200 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ohio State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,581 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan Tech, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $8,983 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Michigan Technological University
University of Notre Dame landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 88 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Notre Dame also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $9,136 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Notre Dame.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Notre Dame
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.
UIC also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $11,351 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at UIC
Michigan State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 112 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $15,170 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Michigan State
Youngstown State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Youngstown State University is a fairly large public school situated in Youngstown, Ohio. It awarded 43 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Youngstown State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $9,972 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Youngstown State University.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Youngstown State University
With a ranking of #12, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wayne State is a large school located in Detroit, Michigan that handed out 36 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Wayne State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wayne State University is $11,414 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Wayne State Chemical Engineering Report
Case Western Reserve University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Case Western is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 68 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.
Case Western also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $15,570 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Case Western.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Case Western
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school awarded 121 degrees to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.
UC also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $15,966 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Chemical Engineering Report
Western Michigan University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 56 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
WMU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $15,552 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full Western Michigan University Chemical Engineering Report
With a ranking of #16, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 73 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.
Illinois Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Tech is $21,101 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Illinois Tech
With a ranking of #17, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 104 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Akron Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $15,510 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus
University of Toledo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Toledo is a fairly large school located in Toledo, Ohio that handed out 69 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Toledo also took the #21 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,550 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Toledo.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Toledo
With a ranking of #19, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $16,062 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Miami University - Oxford
Cleveland State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Cleveland State University is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 74 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Cleveland State University also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State University is $14,813 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Cleveland State University
With a ranking of #21, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. OHIO Athens is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 34 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $18,991 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full OHIO Athens Chemical Engineering Report
Milwaukee School of Engineering landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Milwaukee School of Engineering is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
MSOE also took the #23 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSOE is $19,868 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering
University of Dayton landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UDayton is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 46 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
UDayton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Dayton is $20,992 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Dayton Chemical Engineering Report
Trine University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. This small school is located in Angola, Indiana, and it awarded 21 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Trine is $18,474 for great lakes region chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Trine
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Terre Haute, Indiana, and it awarded 35 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $27,109 for Great Lakes Region Chem Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology
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