Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Mechanical Engineering

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

19 Ranked Colleges
352 Degrees Awarded
$33,100 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate 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. College Factual has developed its “Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 47,598 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 20th most popular in the United States. 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 the Great Lakes region, there were 8,300 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $68,192 and $24,168 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 352 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,428 and $121,375 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered 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.

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 mechanical engineering program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Mechanical Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 19 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate 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. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 21 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 55 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, U-M has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#3

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s ME degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Notre Dame are $57,522, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Notre Dame

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 15 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 60 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Purdue has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Purdue

#6 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 51 doctorate’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Mechanical Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 21 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan Tech has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan Tech are $21,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University

#10 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 26 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State

#9

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 5 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oakland, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Oakland University are $24,648.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Oakland University

#12 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 15 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, UIC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Mechanical Engineering Report

#11

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s ME students in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State are $37,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Michigan State Mechanical Engineering Report

#7 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate 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 6 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Case Western are $47,958.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Case Western

#18 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Dearborn ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s ME degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UM Dearborn are $25,072, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan - Dearborn

#14

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wayne State is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wayne State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State are $37,215.

Full Wayne State Mechanical Engineering Report

#13 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s ME students in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644.

Full UC Mechanical Engineering Report

#16

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

Western Michigan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. WMU is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 6 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WMU, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Western Michigan University are $31,355, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at WMU

#16 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Akron, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s ME students in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Akron Main Campus are $15,217, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

#18

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio
#11 in overall quality

University of Dayton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. UDayton is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 3 doctorate’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region doctor’s degree me students whose families make $30-$48k list, UDayton has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UDayton are $17,780, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of Dayton Mechanical Engineering Report

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Doctorate in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified doctorate’s ME students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Tech, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois Tech are $30,695, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Illinois Tech

Switch to a Similar Major

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Credits

Featured Engineering Schools

Find Schools Near You