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2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

25 Ranked Colleges
1,414 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,414 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 25 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,849 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern.

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. 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Northwestern

2
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 96 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $8,450 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus General Engineering Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $10,364 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Full UW - Madison General Engineering Report

4

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $11,505 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at UIUC

5

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #5 spot on the list. UW - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Platteville has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Platteville is $13,699 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

6

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Ohio State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $13,273 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Ohio State

7

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $15,277 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at GVSU

8
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue University Fort Wayne is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

PFW not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for PFW is $13,015 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full PFW General Engineering Report

9

Case Western Reserve University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 13 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Case Western also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,864 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Case Western

10

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $14,105 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read full report on General Engineering at UIC

11
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 103 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $20,557 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State General Engineering Report

12

Youngstown State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Youngstown State University also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $13,754 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Youngstown State University.

Read more about General Engineering at Youngstown State University

13

With a ranking of #13, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wright State University - Main Campus is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Wright State University - Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Main Campus is $16,871 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Engineering at Wright State University - Main Campus

14

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 88 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UWM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,606 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Engineering at UWM

15

University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. University of Southern Indiana is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USI also took the #22 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Indiana is $14,486 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Southern Indiana

16

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 7 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SIUC also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,499 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

17
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Central Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Central Michigan also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $15,720 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Central Michigan General Engineering Report

18

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 9 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,860 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Full University of Akron Main Campus General Engineering Report

19

Milwaukee School of Engineering ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

MSOE also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for MSOE is $18,854 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at MSOE

20

Purdue University Northwest landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 5 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue Northwest also took the #25 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Northwest is $12,829 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Purdue Northwest General Engineering Report

21
Hope crest
Hope College
Holland, Michigan

Hope College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Hope College is a small school located in Holland, Michigan that handed out 53 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Hope did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Hope College is $22,669 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Hope College

22
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $17,206 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Olivet Nazarene General Engineering Report

23
Calvin crest
Calvin University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Calvin is a small school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan that handed out 85 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Calvin also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,329 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Calvin.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Calvin University

24

Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $23,513 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Miami University - Oxford

25

With a ranking of #25, Cleveland State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cleveland State University is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 8 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Cleveland State University also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $18,468 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cleveland State University.

Read full report on General Engineering at Cleveland State University

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