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2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

64 Ranked Colleges
9,524 Degrees Awarded
$7,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 14th most popular major in the country with 46,178 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Southeast region, there were 9,524 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 64 colleges that offered 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Mechanical Engineering Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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

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

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 141 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Duke also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Duke University is $371 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Duke

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Florida is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 597 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UF is $65 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Florida

3
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 66 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Vanderbilt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $3,176 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 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. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Vanderbilt University General Mechanical Engineering Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 794 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgia Tech also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Tech is $8,818 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

5
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 402 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina State University is $7,283 for southeast region 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 94%. 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%.

Full NC State General Mechanical Engineering Report

6

University of South Florida - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school handed out 243 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

USF Tampa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $4,176 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of South Florida - Main Campus

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Orlando, Florida, this large public school handed out 503 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCF, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCF is $4,468 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Central Florida

8
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 466 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $11,934 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech

9
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Charlottesville, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 64 students in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $12,476 for Southeast Region 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 undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Virginia - Main Campus

10
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 109 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Florida State, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $4,950 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Florida State University

11

Florida International University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school awarded 174 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

FIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida International University is $3,196 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full FIU General Mechanical Engineering Report

12

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Louisiana State University is a large public school situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It awarded 133 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Louisiana State University, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Louisiana State University is $11,318 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University

13

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. UT Knoxville is a large public school situated in Knoxville, Tennessee. It awarded 190 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UT Knoxville is $10,433 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UT Knoxville

14
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

With a ranking of #14, University of Georgia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 172 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UGA also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $8,303 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UGA

15

Citadel Military College of South Carolina landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Charleston, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 95 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Citadel Military College of South Carolina is $7,451 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Citadel Military College of South Carolina

16
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Clemson University is a public institution located in Clemson, South Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 385 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Clemson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Clemson is $13,744 for southeast region 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 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Clemson General Mechanical Engineering Report

17
NC A&T crest
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina

North Carolina A & T State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 106 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina A & T State University is $7,827 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina A & T State University

18
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #18, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Florida is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 82 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $4,367 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNF.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of North Florida

19
FAU crest
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, Florida

Florida Atlantic University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. FAU is located in Boca Raton, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 122 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FAU is $6,726 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Florida Atlantic University

20
WVU crest
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

West Virginia University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. West Virginia University is a large public school situated in Morgantown, West Virginia. It awarded 170 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

WVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Virginia University is $10,014 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at West Virginia University

21

With a ranking of #21, University of South Carolina - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Columbia, South Carolina, and it awarded 235 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UofSC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $12,130 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of South Carolina - Columbia

22
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

With a ranking of #22, University of Kentucky did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Lexington, Kentucky, this large public school awarded 188 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

UK did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UK is $12,593 for southeast region 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 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Kentucky General Mechanical Engineering Report

23
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Mississippi State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mississippi State University is a public institution located in Mississippi State, Mississippi. The school has a large population, and it awarded 216 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Mississippi State has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mississippi State University is $13,025 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Mississippi State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

24

With a ranking of #24, The University of West Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pensacola, Florida is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UWF is $4,288 for southeast region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at The University of West Florida

25

University of North Carolina at Charlotte landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNC Charlotte is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 249 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Charlotte, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $12,751 for Southeast Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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