2027 Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
[General Industrial Engineering](/majors/engineering/ie-industrial-engineering/general-industrial-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general industrial engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general industrial engineering students.
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2027 Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general industrial engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Fort Hays State University, our #1 best value for general industrial engineering in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Typical student debt for general industrial engineering graduates is $25,967. General Industrial Engineering graduates of Fort Hays State University earn a median of $49,775 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,967 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Wichita State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general industrial engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, compared with $19,869 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,262 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general industrial engineering degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $49,278. That is a strong return on a $24,262 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Students looking for strong value in general industrial engineering will find it at University Of Central Missouri, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,050 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,600. Students borrow a median of $24,304 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. Early-career general industrial engineering graduates make about $45,496. Set against $24,304 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Minnesota Twin Cities one of the best values for general industrial engineering. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general industrial engineering graduates is $22,802. General Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $73,777 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,802 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general industrial engineering will find it at North Dakota State University Main Campus, which ranked #5. North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Fargo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,910, while out-of-state students pay about $15,564. Typical student debt for general industrial engineering graduates is $26,000. Early-career general industrial engineering graduates make about $68,873. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Iowa State University came in at #6 for value in general industrial engineering this year. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $23,750 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general industrial engineering degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $94,216. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of Minnesota Duluth placed #7 among the best values for general industrial engineering. University Of Minnesota Duluth is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Duluth. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,608, while out-of-state students pay about $20,134. General Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,185 in student loans. General Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Minnesota Duluth earn a median of $77,781 early in their careers. Set against $24,185 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Duluth admits about 89% of applicants.
Kansas State University landed the #8 spot for general industrial engineering value this year. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. General Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. General Industrial Engineering graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $77,724 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value general industrial engineering schools. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Rapid City. Students from in state pay about $10,500 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,900. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general industrial engineering degree recipients from South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology generally make around $70,216. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #10 for value in general industrial engineering this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,837, with out-of-state students paying around $36,056. Students borrow a median of $26,512 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. Early-career general industrial engineering graduates make about $79,894. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
University Of Iowa placed #11 among the best values for general industrial engineering. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Students borrow a median of $22,540 to complete the general industrial engineering program here. General Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $75,699 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,540 median debt. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
