2027 Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Manufacturing Engineering](/majors/engineering/manufacturing-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong manufacturing engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for manufacturing engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in manufacturing engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Ferris State University, our #1 best value for manufacturing engineering in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,778. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the manufacturing engineering program here. Manufacturing Engineering graduates of Ferris State University earn a median of $68,715 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in manufacturing engineering will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,137 in student loans. Manufacturing Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,137 median debt. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
Grand Valley State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value manufacturing engineering schools. Located in the town of Allendale, Grand Valley State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,502, with out-of-state students paying around $21,894. Typical student debt for manufacturing engineering graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, manufacturing engineering degree recipients from Grand Valley State University generally make around $76,754. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Grand Valley State University admits about 83% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Stout is a great value for students pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Menomonie. Students from in state pay about $10,701 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,814 to complete the manufacturing engineering program here. Manufacturing Engineering graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stout earn a median of $83,497 early in their careers. Set against $29,814 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin Stout admits about 88% of applicants.
Bradley University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value manufacturing engineering schools. Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,160. Typical student debt for manufacturing engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career manufacturing engineering graduates make about $67,488. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University earned the #6 position for value in manufacturing engineering this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Early-career manufacturing engineering graduates make about $78,551. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 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.