2023 Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
20
Ranked Colleges
704
Degrees Awarded
$12,200
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Materials Engineering is the 154th most popular major in the country with 3,415 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, materials engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,007 and had an average of $23,030 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Southeast region, there were 704 materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $65,117 and $22,363 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in materials engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality materials engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the materials engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials engineering degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $-927 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Materials Engineering at Duke
Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 163 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $2,857 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Florida.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Florida
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school awarded 114 degrees to qualified ’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,712 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Materials Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus
Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, North Carolina State University landed the #4 spot on the list. NC State is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 60 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $9,448 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full North Carolina State University Materials Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials engineering degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, University of Virginia has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $10,063 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Virginia - Main Campus
University of Central Florida ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UCF also took the #13 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $6,256 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Materials Engineering at University of Central Florida
Virginia Tech landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Blacksburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials engineering degrees to 85 students in 2020-2021.
Virginia Tech also made our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $14,003 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Virginia Tech Materials Engineering Report
University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. USF Tampa is a large school located in Tampa, Florida that handed out 8 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
USF Tampa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $5,632 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Materials Engineering at University of South Florida - Main Campus
Clemson University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Clemson, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials engineering degrees to 59 students in 2020-2021.
Clemson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Clemson is $16,650 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Clemson University Materials Engineering Report
Florida International University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified ’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.
FIU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $4,882 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Materials Engineering at FIU
The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a large school located in Knoxville, Tennessee that handed out 57 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UT Knoxville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $13,970 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UT Knoxville.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Materials Engineering at UT Knoxville
With a ranking of #12, University of Kentucky did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UK is a public institution located in Lexington, Kentucky. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UK not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UK is $13,424 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UK Materials Engineering Report
University of Mississippi did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. University, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials engineering degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Ole Miss has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Mississippi is $9,489 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Mississippi Materials Engineering Report
University of Arkansas landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Arkansas is a large public school situated in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It awarded 1 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UARK, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UARK is $13,690 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Arkansas
West Virginia University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WVU is a large school located in Morgantown, West Virginia that handed out 1 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
WVU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $10,250 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend West Virginia University.
Read more about Materials Engineering at WVU
University of Alabama at Birmingham came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Alabama at Birmingham is a large public school situated in Birmingham, Alabama. It awarded 29 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UAB also made our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for UAB is $14,800 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Materials Engineering at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Auburn University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Auburn is located in Auburn, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s materials engineering degrees to qualified students.
Auburn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $19,064 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Auburn University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Auburn Materials Engineering Report
The University of Alabama ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Alabama is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UA also made our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Alabama is $19,434 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Materials Engineering at The University of Alabama
Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 6 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Tulane also took the #10 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tulane is $13,380 for Southeast Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Materials Engineering at Tulane University of Louisiana
With a ranking of #20, Tuskegee University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Tuskegee is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Tuskegee, Alabama. It awarded 3 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tuskegee, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tuskegee is $35,955 for southeast region materials engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Read full report on Materials Engineering at Tuskegee
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