2026 Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools in Texas
[Manufacturing Engineering](/majors/engineering/manufacturing-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for manufacturing engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in manufacturing engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools
The University Of Texas Pan American tops our 2026 list of the best value manufacturing engineering schools in Texas. The University Of Texas Pan American is a very large public school located in the city of Edinburg. In-state tuition and fees average $9,799, with out-of-state students paying around $19,645. Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,694 in student loans. Soon after graduation, manufacturing engineering degree recipients from The University Of Texas Pan American generally make around $46,404. Set against $14,694 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The University Of Texas Pan American admits about 94% of applicants.
Texas State University San Marcos is a great value for students pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,450, with out-of-state students paying around $22,930. Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,375 in student loans. Early-career manufacturing engineering graduates make about $68,886. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in manufacturing engineering will find it at Southern Methodist University, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Dallas, Southern Methodist University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $67,040. Manufacturing Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,712 in student loans. Manufacturing Engineering graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of $115,893 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,712 median debt. Southern Methodist University admits about 63% of applicants.
More Manufacturing Engineering Rankings
View All Manufacturing Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 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.
