Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

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

13 Ranked Colleges
486 Degrees Awarded
$13,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering 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 Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 9,411 people earned their degree in general engineering, making the major the 83rd most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,438 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 486 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in general engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

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

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $1,866 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 97%.

Read more about General Engineering at Northwestern University

#2

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $6,686 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Engineering at Michigan State

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan Technological University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan Tech, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,295 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan Tech.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low 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%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Michigan Tech

#4

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern Indiana. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Evansville, Indiana, this fairly large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USI, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USI is $8,244 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 General Engineering at University of Southern Indiana

#5

Hope College

Holland, Michigan
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hope College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Hope College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Holland, Michigan. It awarded 57 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Hope also made our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Hope is $16,113 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hope General Engineering Report

#6 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,708 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Case Western

#9 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Miami University - Oxford has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $13,759 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 full report on General Engineering at Miami University - Oxford

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $13,942 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Western Illinois University General Engineering Report

#9

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 79 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Olivet Nazarene, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,806 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Olivet Nazarene General Engineering Report

#10

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#5 in overall quality

Milwaukee School of Engineering did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, MSOE has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSOE is $17,186 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 Milwaukee School of Engineering General Engineering Report

#13 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Akron, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus also made our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $14,816 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Akron Main Campus General Engineering Report

#12

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

Calvin University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 83 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Calvin, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Calvin University is $21,344 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 87%.

Read more about General Engineering at Calvin

#13

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

Andrews University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Andrews University is located in Berrien Springs, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Andrews has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,868 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Andrews.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on General Engineering at Andrews University

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 Rémi Kaupp.

Featured Engineering Schools

Find Schools Near You