2027 Best Value Trasportation Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Trasportation Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/transportation-highway-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong trasportation engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value trasportation engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Trasportation Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in trasportation engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Trasportation Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Michigan Ann Arbor the best value for a degree in trasportation engineering 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, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Students borrow a median of $18,750 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $66,254. Set against $18,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for trasportation engineering. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $63,111. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 50%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Illinois Institute Of Technology earned it the #3 place for trasportation engineering. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from Illinois Institute Of Technology generally make around $75,829. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in trasportation engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. Trasportation Engineering graduates of University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earn a median of $71,377 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lawrence Technological University earned it the #5 place for trasportation engineering. Set in the city of Southfield, Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $44,760. Students borrow a median of $30,197 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from Lawrence Technological University generally make around $74,924. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 56%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 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.