2023 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
26
Ranked Colleges
1,712
Degrees Awarded
$12,000
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 11,796 people earned their degree in general engineering, making the major the 79th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,873 and had an average of $20,557 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,712 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $76,207 and $23,456 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in general engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general engineering programs and cost less that 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $4,788 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Read full report on General Engineering at UW - Madison
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 6 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $917 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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
Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 96 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,853 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Engineering at Purdue
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UIUC also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UIUC General Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ohio State has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,581 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on General Engineering at Ohio State
With a ranking of #6, Purdue University Fort Wayne did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Fort Wayne is $8,427 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at PFW
With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 47 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Platteville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Platteville is $10,334 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at UW - Platteville
Grand Valley State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 16 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $11,026 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 GVSU General Engineering Report
Michigan State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 103 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $15,170 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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
Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Youngstown State University also took the #22 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,972 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Youngstown State University.
Read full report on General Engineering at Youngstown State University
University of Southern Indiana landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 28 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
USI also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern Indiana is $10,440 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Full USI General Engineering Report
Case Western Reserve University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Case Western has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,570 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 Reserve University
With a ranking of #13, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 9 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UIC also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $11,351 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.
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 University of Illinois at Chicago
Purdue University Northwest came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue University Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 5 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Purdue Northwest is $8,608 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at Purdue Northwest
With a ranking of #15, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 152 students in 2020-2021.
OHIO Athens did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,991 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OHIO Athens.
Full OHIO Athens General Engineering Report
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 88 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full UWM General Engineering Report
Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. 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 also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Main Campus is $13,747 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at Wright State University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #18, Milwaukee School of Engineering did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. MSOE is a small school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 8 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
MSOE also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Milwaukee School of Engineering is $19,868 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 full report on General Engineering at MSOE
Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Central Michigan University is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $12,346 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Central Michigan.
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
University of Akron Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, University of Akron Main Campus has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $15,510 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus
With a ranking of #21, Hope College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Holland, Michigan, and it awarded 53 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Hope also took the #12 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hope College is $18,994 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Hope
With a ranking of #22, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 48 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Olivet Nazarene also took the #18 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,658 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.
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
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.
SIUC also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $12,226 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read more about General Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Miami University - Oxford landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 12 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $16,062 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Miami University - Oxford General Engineering Report
Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Cleveland State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 8 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Cleveland State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State University is $14,813 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on General Engineering at Cleveland State University
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