2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Engineering & Applied Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/engineering-applied-physics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong engineering & applied physics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 19 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering & applied physics students.
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2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering & applied physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
For return on investment in engineering & applied physics, no school beat Columbia University In The City Of New York this year. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Early-career engineering & applied physics graduates make about $86,770. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbia University In The City Of New York admits about 4% of applicants.
Delaware State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering & applied physics schools. Set in the city of Dover, Delaware State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,670, compared with $20,634 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering & applied physics graduates is $31,000. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of Delaware State University earn a median of $54,210 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Cornell University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering & applied physics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $69,314 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,005 to complete the engineering & applied physics program here. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of Cornell University earn a median of $75,976 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Siena College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering & applied physics, landing the #4 spot this year. Siena College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Loudonville. Students from in state pay about $45,805 in tuition and fees. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $26,656 in student loans. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of Siena College earn a median of $44,535 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Fordham University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering & applied physics, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,470. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $25,643 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering & applied physics degree recipients from Fordham University generally make around $59,403. Set against $25,643 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 59%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
