2026 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in District of Columbia
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for mechanical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of The District Of Columbia the best value for a degree in mechanical engineering in District of Columbia. University Of The District Of Columbia is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $5,662 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $12,514. Students borrow a median of $32,304 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of The District Of Columbia earn a median of $57,060 early in their careers. Set against $32,304 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Catholic University Of America is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Catholic University Of America is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $58,378. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Catholic University Of America generally make around $76,409. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Catholic University Of America admits about 83% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes George Washington University one of the best values for mechanical engineering. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,710. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $82,361. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 47%.
A rank of #4 makes Howard University one of the best values for mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Washington, Howard University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $35,810. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $25,498. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Howard University generally make around $58,495. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Howard University admits about 41% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
