2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

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.
Featured schools near , edit
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
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%.
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%.
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.
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%.
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.
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%.
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
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
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.
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%.
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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:
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
General Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Engineering
Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Agricultural Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering
Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Mechanics
Engineering Science
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Science
Materials Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering
Mining Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mining Engineering
Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering
Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Petroleum Engineering
Textile Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Textile Engineering
Construction Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Construction Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Industrial Engineering
Operations Research
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Operations Research
Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geoscience Engineering
Electromechanical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering
Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biochemical Engineering
Biological Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biological Engineering
Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Architectural Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Architectural Engineering
Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Ceramic Engineering
Civil Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electrical Engineering
Engineering Physics
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Physics
Environmental Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Environmental Engineering
Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering
Marine Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Marine Engineering
Ocean Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Ocean Engineering
Systems Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering
Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Forest Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Forest Engineering
Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering
Surveying Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Surveying Engineering
Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering
Robotics Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Robotics Engineering
Engineering Chemistry
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Chemistry
Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Other Engineering
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Engineering
Switch to a More Focused Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's Degree Schools
Mechanical Engineering students
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Mechanical Engineering Schools
Mechanical Engineering students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)
Mechanical Engineering students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k)
Mechanical Engineering students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income Over $110k)
Mechanical Engineering students with family income exceeding $110k
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Mechanical Engineering Graduates
Mechanical Engineering students
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering students
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (With Aid)
Mechanical Engineering students getting aid
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)
Mechanical Engineering students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $75-$110k)
Mechanical Engineering students with family income $75-$110k
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering students
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
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Michel Villeneuve.
Featured Engineering Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |