2026 Best Value General Manufacturing Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region
[General Manufacturing Engineering](/majors/engineering/manufacturing-engineering/general-manufacturing-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 13 schools to find the best return on investment for general manufacturing engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Manufacturing Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general manufacturing engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Manufacturing Engineering Schools
California State University Northridge earned the #1 spot for value among general manufacturing engineering schools in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,458, with out-of-state students paying around $20,058. Typical student debt for general manufacturing engineering graduates is $16,202. Early-career general manufacturing engineering graduates make about $48,437. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Students looking for strong value in general manufacturing engineering will find it at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,781, with out-of-state students paying around $20,381. General Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,083 in student loans. Early-career general manufacturing engineering graduates make about $79,549. Set against $17,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo one of the best values for general manufacturing engineering. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,161, while out-of-state students pay about $33,230. Students borrow a median of $19,273 to complete the general manufacturing engineering program here. Early-career general manufacturing engineering graduates make about $61,010. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Washington University earned it the #4 place for general manufacturing engineering. Set in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,582, with out-of-state students paying around $28,707. General Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,425 in student loans. Early-career general manufacturing engineering graduates make about $65,863. That is a strong return on a $21,425 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
Students looking for strong value in general manufacturing engineering will find it at Oregon State University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, compared with $38,190 for out-of-state students. General Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,457 in student loans. General Manufacturing Engineering graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $72,154 early in their careers. Set against $21,457 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
National University placed #6 among the best values for general manufacturing engineering. Located in the city of San Diego, National University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,284. Students borrow a median of $30,426 to complete the general manufacturing engineering program here. Early-career general manufacturing engineering graduates make about $69,080. That is a strong return on a $30,426 median debt.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
