2026 Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general materials engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools
Purdue University Main Campus earned the #1 spot for value among general materials engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $21,335. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $78,265. That is a strong return on a $21,335 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Students looking for strong value in general materials 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. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. General Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,750 in student loans. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $75,041. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned it the #3 place for general materials engineering. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $17,916 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $75,080. Set against $17,916 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in general materials engineering will find it at Michigan Technological University, which ranked #4. Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Houghton. Students from in state pay about $20,532 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $44,807. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Michigan Technological University generally make around $63,135. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general materials engineering schools. Located in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. General Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,676 in student loans. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $76,662. That is a strong return on a $20,676 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio State University Main Campus landed the #6 spot for general materials engineering value this year. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. Students from in state pay about $13,244 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $70,371. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Michigan State University came in at #7 for value in general materials engineering this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $27,925. Soon after graduation, general materials engineering degree recipients from Michigan State University generally make around $78,276. Set against $27,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general materials engineering schools. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $16,616. General Materials Engineering graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $78,551 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 8%.
University Of Dayton came in at #9 for value in general materials engineering this year. University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dayton. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. Students borrow a median of $25,033 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $56,077. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University landed the #10 spot for general materials engineering value this year. Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cleveland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,608. Typical student debt for general materials engineering graduates is $25,106. General Materials Engineering graduates of Case Western Reserve University earn a median of $74,459 early in their careers. Set against $25,106 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
[General Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/general-materials-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.
