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2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

54 Ranked Colleges
7,978 Degrees Awarded
$9,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

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

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 7,978 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 54 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 54 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 142 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $917 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 462 students in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,670 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full U-M General Mechanical Engineering Report

3
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 582 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,853 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Purdue General Mechanical Engineering Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 268 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $4,788 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UW - Madison

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 300 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UIUC has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,036 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UIUC

6

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 429 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan Tech, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Technological University is $8,983 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University

7

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 325 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $8,581 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus

8
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oakland is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 222 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Oakland has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $8,839 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Oakland

9

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school awarded 235 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $8,216 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

10

University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 183 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

UM Dearborn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Dearborn is $10,465 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UM Dearborn

11
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #11, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 135 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Notre Dame also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,136 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Notre Dame

12
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 308 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,170 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University

13

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 222 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $11,351 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UIC

14

University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 71 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,958 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Stout

15

Purdue University Northwest ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Hammond, Indiana, and it awarded 66 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue Northwest is $8,608 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University Northwest

16
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Wayne State is a large school located in Detroit, Michigan that handed out 163 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,414 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wayne State University.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Wayne State University

17

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 72 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,825 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SIUE.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at SIUE

18

With a ranking of #18, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 125 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,570 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Case Western.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University

19

University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 198 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,334 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Platteville.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UW - Platteville

20

Youngstown State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Youngstown, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,972 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Youngstown State University.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Youngstown State University

21

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 70 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $11,026 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Grand Valley State University

22

With a ranking of #22, University of Michigan - Flint did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Michigan - Flint is a public institution located in Flint, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Flint is $8,952 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UM Flint

23
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Purdue University Fort Wayne is a medium-sized public school situated in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It awarded 15 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University Fort Wayne is $8,427 for Great Lakes Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University Fort Wayne

24
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 103 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

WMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,552 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend WMU.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at WMU

25

With a ranking of #25, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Akron, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 215 students in 2020-2021.

University of Akron Main Campus also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $15,510 for great lakes region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

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