Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Engineering & Applied Physics

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

14 Ranked Colleges
214 Degrees Awarded
$14,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 941 people earned their degree in engineering and applied physics, making the major the 440th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 309 engineering and applied physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 214 engineering and applied physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer a degree in engineering and applied physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality engineering and applied physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the engineering and applied physics program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Engineering & Applied Physics Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Engineering & Applied Physics (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#2 in overall quality

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 #2 for the Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 77 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIUC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at UIUC

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $4,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full UW - Madison Engineering & Applied Physics Report

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 22 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Ohio State

#5

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Platteville, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Platteville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $12,117 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

#6

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Oakland University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 2 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Oakland also took the #14 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $7,490 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Oakland University

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #12 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,648 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Engineering & Applied Physics at UIC

#5 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.

Case Western also took the #5 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Case Western Reserve University Engineering & Applied Physics Report

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Grace College and Theological Seminary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Winona Lake, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2019-2020.

Grace College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,874 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grace College and Theological Seminary.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Grace College and Theological Seminary

#11 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $13,759 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Miami University - Oxford

#11

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#9 in overall quality

Marquette University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Marquette did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Marquette University is $19,169 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Engineering & Applied Physics at Marquette

#10 in overall quality

Illinois Institute of Technology came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s applied physics degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Illinois Tech also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Tech is $17,222 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Illinois Tech

#13

Kettering University

Flint, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

Kettering University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Kettering is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Flint, Michigan. It awarded 8 bachelors’s applied physics degrees in 2019-2020.

Kettering did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Kettering University is $29,024 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Applied Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Kettering University Engineering & Applied Physics Report

#3 in overall quality

Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s applied physics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $34,275 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree applied physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to NASA.

Featured Engineering Schools

Find Schools Near You