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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

323 Ranked Colleges
37,951 Degrees Awarded
$15,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor's

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 37,951 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 323 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality mechanical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the 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.

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” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree me students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 157 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,322 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Brigham Young University - Provo

Out of the 323 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 127 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $7,167 for bachelor’s degree me students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brigham Young University - Idaho Mechanical Engineering Report

#3

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s. South Dakota State University is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $19,252 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.

Full South Dakota State Mechanical Engineering Report

#4

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. UW - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 56 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stout is $15,839 for bachelor’s degree me students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - Stout Mechanical Engineering Report

#5

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

Out of the 323 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 190 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UW - Platteville

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UPR Mayaguez is a fairly large school located in Mayaguez, that handed out 138 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UPR Mayaguez is $10,766 for bachelor’s degree me students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UPR Mayaguez Mechanical Engineering Report

North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 140 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for bachelor’s degree me students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Mechanical Engineering Report

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, this small public school handed out 99 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is $19,815 for bachelor’s degree me students.

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 full report on Mechanical Engineering at SD Mines

#9

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of North Dakota is $15,738 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

The low 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of North Dakota

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UT Permian Basin is a medium-sized public school situated in Odessa, Texas. It awarded 55 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is $10,092 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

Full UT Permian Basin Mechanical Engineering Report

With a ranking of #11, California State University Maritime Academy did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Vallejo, California, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Maritime also claimed a top spot on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $20,597 for bachelor’s degree me students per year to attend California State University Maritime Academy.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 Cal Maritime

#12

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Purdue University Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 62 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,250 for bachelor’s degree me students per year to attend Purdue Northwest.

Full Purdue University Northwest Mechanical Engineering Report

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 125 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#14

SUNY Maritime College

Throggs Neck, New York

SUNY Maritime College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. SUNY Maritime College is a public institution located in Throggs Neck, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, SUNY Maritime College is also in the top of our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. It costs about $20,616 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students per year to attend SUNY Maritime College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at SUNY Maritime College

#15

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas

West Texas A&M University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Canyon, Texas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ME degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $12,761 for bachelor’s degree me students.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at West Texas A&M University

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 82 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,423 for bachelor’s degree me students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at SIUE

Iowa State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ME degrees to 429 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Iowa State is in the top on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $15,496 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students per year to attend Iowa State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Iowa State Mechanical Engineering Report

#18

Lake Superior State University

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

Lake Superior State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Lake Superior State University is located in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,398 for bachelor’s degree me students per year to attend Lake Superior State University.

Full Lake Superior State University Mechanical Engineering Report

#19

Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, Louisiana

Louisiana Tech University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Louisiana Tech University is a public institution located in Ruston, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,084 for bachelor’s degree me students per year to attend Louisiana Tech University.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana Tech

#20

Georgia Southern University

Statesboro, Georgia

With a ranking of #20, Georgia Southern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Georgia Southern University is a public institution located in Statesboro, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 187 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,536 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students per year to attend Georgia Southern University.

Full GaSou Mechanical Engineering Report

#21

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 123 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,259 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Full Northern Illinois University Mechanical Engineering Report

#22

Tennessee Technological University

Cookeville, Tennessee

Tennessee Technological University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 151 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Tennessee Tech University is $15,929 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full Tennessee Tech University Mechanical Engineering Report

#23

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

University of Houston landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ME degrees to 220 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UH is $12,838 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UH

#24

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 79 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Western Michigan University is $19,433 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students.

Full WMU Mechanical Engineering Report

#25

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Saint Cloud State University is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,267 for Bachelor’s Degree ME students per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at St. Cloud State University

Rest of the Best 49 in Best Value ME Schools for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#27

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#28

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#29

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#31

University of Central Florida

Orlando, Florida
#33

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio
#34

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
#35

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire
#36

University of New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana
#37

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#41

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#42

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina
#45

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio
#48

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas
#48

Harding University

Searcy, Arkansas

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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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