2027 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
[Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for materials engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in materials engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Materials Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology the best value for a degree in materials engineering in the Southwest Region. Set in the town of Socorro, New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,476, compared with $27,247 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for materials engineering graduates is $18,747. Soon after graduation, materials engineering degree recipients from New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology generally make around $64,561. Set against $18,747 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Arizona State University earned it the #2 place for materials engineering. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Students borrow a median of $23,733 to complete the materials engineering program here. Soon after graduation, materials engineering degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $93,301. Set against $23,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in materials engineering will find it at Texas State University San Marcos, which ranked #3. Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public school located in the city of San Marcos. Students from in state pay about $11,450 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,930. Typical student debt for materials engineering graduates is $23,659. Soon after graduation, materials engineering degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $47,456. Set against $23,659 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Texas earned it the #4 place for materials engineering. Set in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,309 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,149. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,823 in student loans. Soon after graduation, materials engineering degree recipients from University Of North Texas generally make around $49,157. That is a strong return on a $26,823 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Austin earned it the #5 place for materials engineering. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,688 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $21,275 to complete the materials engineering program here. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $57,819. That is a strong return on a $21,275 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Texas A And M University College Station landed the #6 spot for materials engineering value this year. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,031 in student loans. Materials Engineering graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $64,891 early in their careers. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
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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.
