College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

152 Ranked Colleges
9,018 Degrees Awarded
$7,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 9,018 people earned their degree in general engineering, making the major the 96th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 152 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Engineering Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Engineering Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Those Making $30-$48k” 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

1
Olin College crest
Olin College
Needham, Massachusetts

Out of the 152 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Olin College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Needham, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 33 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Olin College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olin College is $859 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate 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.

Read full report on General Engineering at Olin College

2
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dartmouth College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 153 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Dartmouth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $8,718 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on General Engineering at Dartmouth College

3
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Out of the 152 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brown University landed the #3 spot on the list. Brown is located in Providence, Rhode Island and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 142 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Brown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $2,842 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Brown University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Brown General Engineering Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 64 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “Best General Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $4,788 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

5
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 6 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $917 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Engineering at Northwestern University

6
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vanderbilt University is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 10 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt University is $4,652 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on General Engineering at Vanderbilt University

7
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 96 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $5,853 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue General Engineering Report

8
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 6 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $4,859 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Johns Hopkins.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Johns Hopkins General Engineering Report

9

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 5 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $9,999 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%.

Read more about General Engineering at UC Berkeley

10

University of California - Davis came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 123 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $11,598 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Davis.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 University of California - Davis General Engineering Report

11

University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 58 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCLA is $9,891 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Los Angeles General Engineering Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $8,036 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

13

University of Maryland - College Park came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Maryland - College Park is a large school located in College Park, Maryland that handed out 381 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UMCP also made our “Best General Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for UMCP is $11,567 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Maryland - College Park

14
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Carnegie Mellon University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 35 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon University is $13,608 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Carnegie Mellon General Engineering Report

15
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cornell University is a large school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 13 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell excels when it comes to engineering quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell University is $5,133 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Cornell University General Engineering Report

16
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Tufts University is $7,987 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Tufts University General Engineering Report

17

Austin Community College District landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Austin Community College District is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 85 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Austin Community College District is $4,907 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on General Engineering at Austin Community College District

18

With a ranking of #18, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 174 students in 2020-2021.

ASU - Tempe also took the #23 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $10,628 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Engineering at ASU - Tempe

19
Swarthmore crest
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 23 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Swarthmore excels when it comes to engineering quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Swarthmore College is $4,012 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Swarthmore College

20
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 52 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,448 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at North Carolina State University

21

California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $4,655 for Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fresno State.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at California State University - Fresno

22
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #22, Northeastern University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 320 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Northeastern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern is $7,376 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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%.

Full Northeastern General Engineering Report

23
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Morgantown, West Virginia, this large public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, WVU also did well on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $10,250 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WVU.

Full WVU General Engineering Report

24
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

University of Georgia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 24 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UGA is $10,688 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UGA General Engineering Report

25

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $13,453 for engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNL.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln General Engineering Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options