2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Pennsylvania
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/other-general-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 33 schools to find the best return on investment for general engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Delaware County Community College, our #1 best value for general engineering in Pennsylvania. Set in the suburb of Media, Delaware County Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,930, compared with $15,540 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,866 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Delaware County Community College generally make around $40,102. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bucks County Community College earned it the #2 place for general engineering. Bucks County Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Newtown. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,646, while out-of-state students pay about $13,926. Students borrow a median of $13,068 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Bucks County Community College generally make around $37,711. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg, which ranked #3. Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg is a large public school located in the city of Harrisburg. Students from in state pay about $6,975 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,472. Students borrow a median of $20,867 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg earn a median of $41,382 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Swarthmore College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Swarthmore, Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,494. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Swarthmore College generally make around $66,971. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Community College Of Philadelphia, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Philadelphia, Community College Of Philadelphia is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,632 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,744. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,059 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Community College Of Philadelphia earn a median of $37,988 early in their careers. Set against $16,059 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Geneva College placed #6 among the best values for general engineering. Geneva College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Beaver Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,450. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $27,000. General Engineering graduates of Geneva College earn a median of $62,486 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Elizabethtown College landed the #7 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the suburb of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,950. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Elizabethtown College earn a median of $73,003 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Robert Morris University came in at #8 for value in general engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Moon Township, Robert Morris University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $35,770. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Robert Morris University generally make around $61,163. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus landed the #9 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $72,825 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Carnegie Mellon University earned the #10 position for value in general engineering this year. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,636. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $89,327. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Lafayette College landed the #11 spot for general engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of Easton, Lafayette College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $64,648 in tuition and fees. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,931 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $76,507. Set against $16,931 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 31%.
Villanova University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Villanova, Villanova University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,776. Students borrow a median of $26,184 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Villanova University earn a median of $72,601 early in their careers. Set against $26,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Villanova University admits about 27% 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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
