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2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

81 Ranked Colleges
2,839 Degrees Awarded
$9,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

General Engineering is the 83rd most popular major in the country with 9,411 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,839 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 81 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general engineering programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank General Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

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

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

#1

Olin College

Needham, Massachusetts
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Olin College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This small school is located in Needham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Olin College, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $3,388 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olin College.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on General Engineering at Olin College

#2

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brown University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brown is a medium-sized school located in Providence, Rhode Island that handed out 65 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Brown also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $6,684 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Engineering at Brown University

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Northwestern

#4

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 81 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Swarthmore College landed the #4 spot on the list. Swarthmore College is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Swarthmore not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Swarthmore is $8,701 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Swarthmore

#5

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 10 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $7,518 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cornell University.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Cornell University General Engineering Report

#6

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland
#13 in overall quality

Johns Hopkins University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Johns Hopkins University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 2 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins University is $8,210 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Johns Hopkins

#7

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut
#7 in overall quality

Trinity College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hartford, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

Trinity Bantams also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Trinity Bantams is $9,123 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Trinity College

#8

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#10 in overall quality

Tufts University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

Tufts also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $6,516 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Engineering at Tufts University

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 129 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Davis has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $10,769 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Engineering at University of California - Davis

#10

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts
#18 in overall quality

Smith College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Smith not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $10,169 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Smith

#11

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Lafayette College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Lafayette is located in Easton, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Lafayette also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lafayette is $11,360 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Lafayette College

#12

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#11 in overall quality

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Caltech also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Caltech is $3,756 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California Institute of Technology General Engineering Report

#13

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#22 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,696 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Engineering at University of Virginia

#14

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $9,887 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Engineering at NC State

#15

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, California
#1 in overall quality

Harvey Mudd College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Harvey Mudd College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 68 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvey Mudd College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Harvey Mudd College is $23,234 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Full Harvey Mudd College General Engineering Report

#16

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, Louisiana

McNeese State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. McNeese is a public institution located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend McNeese State University is $16,492 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full McNeese General Engineering Report

Michigan Technological University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Houghton, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $9,049 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Michigan Tech General Engineering Report

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $7,595 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at California State University - Long Beach

#19

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Carnegie Mellon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University is $13,782 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Carnegie Mellon General Engineering Report

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. ASU - Tempe is a large public school situated in Tempe, Arizona. It awarded 192 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,921 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend ASU - Tempe.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Arizona State University - Tempe General Engineering Report

#21

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas
#20 in overall quality

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - College Station is $13,270 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Texas A&M University - College Station

#22

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, New York

College of Staten Island CUNY did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. College of Staten Island CUNY is located in Staten Island, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $5,436 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend College of Staten Island CUNY.

Read more about General Engineering at CSI

#23

University of Mississippi

University, Mississippi

University of Mississippi did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Ole Miss is a public institution located in University, Mississippi. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ole Miss is $11,566 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read full report on General Engineering at Ole Miss

#24

University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #24, University of North Carolina at Asheville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Asheville, North Carolina, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Asheville is $9,634 for Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of North Carolina at Asheville General Engineering Report

#25

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

Michigan State University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 125 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Michigan State also made our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $15,197 for bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Michigan State

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.

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