2027 Best Value Trasportation Engineering Master’s Degree Schools
[Trasportation Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/transportation-highway-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for trasportation engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Trasportation Engineering Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in trasportation engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Trasportation Engineering Schools
For return on investment in trasportation engineering, no school beat University Of Washington Seattle Campus this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Students borrow a median of $14,874 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus generally make around $87,462. That is a strong return on a $14,874 median debt. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value trasportation engineering schools. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $66,254. That is a strong return on a $18,750 median debt. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Florida Atlantic University earned it the #3 place for trasportation engineering. Set in the city of Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,879, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for trasportation engineering graduates is $23,866. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $83,099. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Purdue University Main Campus one of the best values for trasportation engineering. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. 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. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of California Davis one of the best values for trasportation engineering. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,804, compared with $47,692 for out-of-state students. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,101 in student loans. Trasportation Engineering graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $86,909 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Davis admits about 42% of applicants.
University Of Nevada Las Vegas landed the #6 spot for trasportation engineering value this year. University Of Nevada Las Vegas is a very large public school located in the city of Las Vegas. Students from in state pay about $9,748 in tuition and fees, compared with $27,411 for out-of-state students. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,763 in student loans. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from University Of Nevada Las Vegas generally make around $50,039. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
New Jersey Institute Of Technology landed the #7 spot for trasportation engineering value this year. Located in the city of Newark, New Jersey Institute Of Technology is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,974, while out-of-state students pay about $37,664. Students borrow a median of $24,085 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $89,700. Set against $24,085 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New Jersey Institute Of Technology admits about 65% of applicants.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College earned the #8 position for value in trasportation engineering this year. Located in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,954 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,631. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,486 in student loans. Trasportation Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College earn a median of $49,718 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,486 median debt. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College admits about 73% of applicants.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology earned the #9 position for value in trasportation engineering this year. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Students from in state pay about $62,396 in tuition and fees. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,516 in student loans. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology generally make around $88,805. Set against $13,516 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Illinois Institute Of Technology came in at #10 for value in trasportation engineering this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $52,202. Typical student debt for trasportation engineering graduates is $26,000. Trasportation Engineering graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $79,898 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Illinois Institute Of Technology admits about 55% of applicants.
University Of Louisville landed the #11 spot for trasportation engineering value this year. Located in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for trasportation engineering graduates is $24,503. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from University Of Louisville generally make around $68,405. Set against $24,503 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Auburn University came in at #12 for value in trasportation engineering this year. Auburn University is a very large public school located in the city of Auburn. Students from in state pay about $12,890 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,375 in student loans. Soon after graduation, trasportation engineering degree recipients from Auburn University generally make around $55,422. Set against $23,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Auburn University admits about 46% of applicants.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus earned the #13 position for value in trasportation engineering this year. Set in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Typical student debt for trasportation engineering graduates is $24,500. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $71,377. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus admits about 85% of applicants.
University Of Southern California ranked #14 on our 2027 list of the best value trasportation engineering schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $71,647. Students borrow a median of $8,125 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $91,025. That is a strong return on a $8,125 median debt. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute landed the #15 spot for trasportation engineering value this year. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,078. Students borrow a median of $26,979 to complete the trasportation engineering program here. Trasportation Engineering graduates of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn a median of $76,280 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
New York University came in at #16 for value in trasportation engineering this year. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $62,796 in tuition and fees. Trasportation Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,905 in student loans. Early-career trasportation engineering graduates make about $91,660. That is a strong return on a $21,905 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Other Trasportation Engineering Degree Levels
Explore the best-value trasportation engineering schools at other degree levels:
View All Trasportation Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.
