2026 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in Massachusetts
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general mechanical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general mechanical engineering, no school beat Harvard University this year. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $61,676 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from Harvard University generally make around $95,207. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Students looking for strong value in general mechanical engineering will find it at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $62,396 in tuition and fees. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $11,334 in student loans. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Massachusetts Institute Of Technology earn a median of $119,923 early in their careers. Set against $11,334 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Massachusetts Lowell came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Lowell, University Of Massachusetts Lowell is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,966, compared with $36,264 for out-of-state students. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Lowell generally make around $83,609. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general mechanical engineering will find it at Olin College, which ranked #4. Olin College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Needham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $63,742. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,512 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from Olin College generally make around $87,590. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 25%.
University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general mechanical engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,772, while out-of-state students pay about $40,449. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $73,972. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth placed #6 among the best values for general mechanical engineering. Located in the suburb of North Dartmouth, University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $15,612 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $32,567. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $71,559. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Massachusetts Dartmouth admits about 91% of applicants.
Boston University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of Boston, Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,102. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $26,400. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $82,283. Set against $26,400 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
Northeastern University placed #8 among the best values for general mechanical engineering. Northeastern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. In-state tuition and fees average $66,162. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,893 in student loans. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northeastern University earn a median of $87,760 early in their careers. Set against $25,893 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Wentworth Institute Of Technology landed the #9 spot for general mechanical engineering value this year. Set in the city of Boston, Wentworth Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,884. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Wentworth Institute Of Technology earn a median of $77,828 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Wentworth Institute Of Technology admits about 91% of applicants.
Tufts University came in at #10 for value in general mechanical engineering this year. Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Medford. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,704. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from Tufts University generally make around $78,441. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Tufts University admits about 12% of applicants.
Merrimack College earned the #11 position for value in general mechanical engineering this year. Located in the suburb of North Andover, Merrimack College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,962. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Merrimack College earn a median of $68,615 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Merrimack College admits about 70% of applicants.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value general mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Worcester, Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $60,765. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of $92,706 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Worcester Polytechnic Institute admits about 60% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
[General Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/general-mechanical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general mechanical engineering education at a price that pays off.
