2027 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in Illinois
[General Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/general-mechanical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general mechanical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general mechanical engineering, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $21,500. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $69,871 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $20,500. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $92,881. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $69,454 early in their careers. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Northern Illinois University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general mechanical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,060. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $25,000. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median of $82,161 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,092. Students borrow a median of $23,110 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville generally make around $66,546. Set against $23,110 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
North Park University earned the #6 position for value in general mechanical engineering this year. North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,710. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $27,360. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of North Park University earn a median of $51,611 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Illinois Institute Of Technology earned the #7 position for value in general mechanical engineering this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $52,202 in tuition and fees. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $74,291. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.
North Central College landed the #8 spot for general mechanical engineering value this year. North Central College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Naperville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,726. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $25,699. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $46,247. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Central College admits about 77% of applicants.
Bradley University earned the #9 position for value in general mechanical engineering this year. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $42,160 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $71,746. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bradley University admits about 77% of applicants.
Northwestern University earned the #10 position for value in general mechanical engineering this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,334 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $79,616 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,334 median debt. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
More General Mechanical Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
