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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania

15 Ranked Colleges
1,251 Degrees Awarded
$18,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Mechanical Engineering is the 20th most popular major in the country with 47,598 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $64,495 and had an average of $23,104 in loans still to pay off.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 1,713 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $65,600 and $26,332 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,251 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great 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 mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in Pennsylvania

#1

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 60 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $4,833 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UPenn.

The impressive 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 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Pennsylvania

#2

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Carnegie Mellon University landed the #2 spot on the list. Carnegie Mellon is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 130 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carnegie Mellon University is $13,782 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University

#3

Lafayette College

Easton, Pennsylvania

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lafayette College landed the #3 spot on the list. Lafayette College is a small school located in Easton, Pennsylvania that handed out 57 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Lafayette also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $11,360 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lafayette College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Lafayette Mechanical Engineering Report

#4

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Lehigh University landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 101 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Lehigh did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lehigh University is $13,363 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Lehigh University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k. Pitt is a public institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 181 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Pitt also took the #7 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $21,011 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Pitt

#6

York College of Pennsylvania

York, Pennsylvania

York College of Pennsylvania came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. YCP is located in York, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

YCP also took the #9 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend YCP is $15,411 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full YCP Mechanical Engineering Report

#7

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Temple University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Temple is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 138 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

Temple also took the #10 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Temple University is $18,879 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Temple University

#8

Gannon University

Erie, Pennsylvania

Gannon University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Erie, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Gannon has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Gannon is $17,339 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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 more about Mechanical Engineering at Gannon

#9

Villanova University

Villanova, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #9, Villanova University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Villanova University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It awarded 70 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Villanova also took the #5 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $21,359 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Villanova.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 full report on Mechanical Engineering at Villanova

#10

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

Ship did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is $18,021 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

#11

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Bucknell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Bucknell has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bucknell University is $20,566 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Bucknell

#12

Thomas Jefferson University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Thomas Jefferson University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Thomas Jefferson University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Thomas Jefferson University is $20,167 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Thomas Jefferson University

#13

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Wilkes University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wilkes is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It awarded 51 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Wilkes also took the #11 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wilkes is $20,640 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Wilkes University

#14

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drexel University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Drexel University is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 189 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

Drexel did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Drexel University is $27,057 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree ME students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Drexel

#15

Widener University

Chester, Pennsylvania

Widener University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Widener University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chester, Pennsylvania. It awarded 38 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Widener has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $26,560 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Widener University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Widener

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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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