2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in North Carolina
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/other-general-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for general engineering students.
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2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Asheville the best value for a degree in general engineering in North Carolina. Located in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,501 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,849 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $73,410. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Asheville admits about 92% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Western Carolina University, which ranked #2. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Students borrow a median of $25,550 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $62,244. Set against $25,550 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes East Carolina University one of the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,978 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $65,758. Set against $26,978 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes North Carolina State University At Raleigh one of the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $30,518. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $93,349. Set against $30,518 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Campbell University, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Buies Creek, Campbell University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,600. Students borrow a median of $23,641 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Campbell University earn a median of $54,629 early in their careers. Set against $23,641 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Wake Forest University placed #6 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,642. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Wake Forest University generally make around $67,369. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 22% of applicants are accepted.
Elon University earned the #7 position for value in general engineering this year. Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elon. Students from in state pay about $46,958 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $21,619 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $50,463. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 66%.
More General Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
