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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

66 Ranked Colleges
8,055 Degrees Awarded
$6,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 12th most popular major in the country with 47,598 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Southeast region, there were 9,478 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,055 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 66 colleges that offer a degree in general mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general mechanical engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Mechanical Engineering Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 91 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $-7,808 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Duke University. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

Since the school has a 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 impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Duke University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Florida is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 320 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UF also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $1,994 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full University of Florida General Mechanical Engineering Report

#3

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Vanderbilt University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Vanderbilt is $3,156 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 572 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $9,162 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Florida. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UCF is located in Orlando, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 461 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $6,211 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at University of Central Florida

#6

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#7 in overall quality

North Carolina State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 288 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $7,285 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend North Carolina State University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full North Carolina State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

Florida International University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. FIU is located in Miami, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 174 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Florida International University is $5,002 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full FIU General Mechanical Engineering Report

#8

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#17 in overall quality

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Florida State is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 92 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $5,360 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Florida State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Florida State University

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Tampa, Florida. It awarded 208 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $3,950 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at University of South Florida - Main Campus

#10

University of Georgia

Athens, Georgia
#11 in overall quality

University of Georgia came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Athens, Georgia, this large public school handed out 148 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

UGA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Georgia is $7,541 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full University of Georgia General Mechanical Engineering Report

#11

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia
#4 in overall quality

Virginia Tech came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 407 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Virginia Tech has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,138 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Virginia Tech General Mechanical Engineering Report

#12

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #12, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Florida is a public institution located in Jacksonville, Florida. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 66 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of North Florida is $5,097 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Florida General Mechanical Engineering Report

#13

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina
#19 in overall quality

Citadel Military College of South Carolina came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Charleston, South Carolina, this small public school awarded 73 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

The Citadel also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Citadel Military College of South Carolina is $7,296 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at The Citadel

#14

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida

The University of West Florida did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. The University of West Florida is a fairly large school located in Pensacola, Florida that handed out 49 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UWF is $4,140 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at The University of West Florida

#15

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#5 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $8,882 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Virginia

West Virginia University Institute of Technology came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. West Virginia University Tech is a small school located in Beckley, West Virginia that handed out 18 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for West Virginia University Tech is $8,142 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at West Virginia University Tech

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 191 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $10,224 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, 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 students.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UT Knoxville

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and it awarded 163 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Louisiana State University also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Louisiana State University is $8,433 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

#19

Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, Florida

With a ranking of #19, Florida Atlantic University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and it awarded 93 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend FAU is $6,085 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Florida Atlantic University

#20

University of Mississippi

University, Mississippi

University of Mississippi did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Ole Miss is a large school located in University, Mississippi that handed out 79 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Mississippi is $9,455 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Mississippi

#21

Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, Louisiana

Louisiana Tech University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. This fairly large school is located in Ruston, Louisiana, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana Tech is $8,889 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Louisiana Tech University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#22

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. North Carolina A & T State University is a public institution located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NC A&T is $7,493 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at NC A&T

The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chattanooga, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 70 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga is $8,108 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UT Chattanooga

#24

West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. WVU is a large public school situated in Morgantown, West Virginia. It awarded 170 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,213 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend West Virginia University.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at WVU

#25

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, Louisiana

With a ranking of #25, McNeese State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. McNeese is a medium-sized school located in Lake Charles, Louisiana that handed out 16 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for McNeese is $11,892 for southeast region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at McNeese

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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