2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in New Jersey
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/other-general-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for general engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in New Jersey
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Essex County College earned the #1 spot for value among general engineering schools in New Jersey. Located in the city of Newark, Essex County College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,415, while out-of-state students pay about $9,523. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $12,472. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Essex County College generally make around $37,915. That is a strong return on a $12,472 median debt.
Union County College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Union County College is a large public school located in the suburb of Cranford. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,280, with out-of-state students paying around $9,500. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $8,508 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Union County College earn a median of $27,813 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,508 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Brookdale Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Lincroft, Brookdale Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,270, while out-of-state students pay about $10,140. Students borrow a median of $12,651 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $37,374. Set against $12,651 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Ocean County College one of the best values for general engineering. Located in the suburb of Toms River, Ocean County College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,906, with out-of-state students paying around $6,970. Students borrow a median of $13,792 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Ocean County College generally make around $41,306. Set against $13,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Gloucester County College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Sewell, Gloucester County College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,160, compared with $6,000 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,236 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Gloucester County College generally make around $38,274. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rowan University placed #6 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,574, with out-of-state students paying around $26,932. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $24,488. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $84,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Rowan University admits about 78% of applicants.
More General Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
