2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Virginia
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for mechanical engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
Old Dominion University earned the #1 spot for value among mechanical engineering schools in Virginia. Set in the city of Norfolk, Old Dominion University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,750, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $71,774. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
George Mason University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $25,000. Mechanical Engineering graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $73,570 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. George Mason University admits about 88% of applicants.
Virginia Military Institute came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. Virginia Military Institute is a small public school located in the town of Lexington. In-state tuition and fees average $21,046, while out-of-state students pay about $52,638. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,971 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Virginia Military Institute generally make around $47,837. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
University Of Virginia Main Campus came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. Students from in state pay about $23,118 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $24,250. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $74,366. That is a strong return on a $24,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 17%.
Virginia Commonwealth University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. Virginia Commonwealth University is a very large public school located in the city of Richmond. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,720, while out-of-state students pay about $39,884. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,235 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $73,355. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University placed #6 among the best values for mechanical engineering. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $80,722. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Liberty University placed #7 among the best values for mechanical engineering. Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Lynchburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,173. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Mechanical Engineering graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $65,794 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
More Mechanical Engineering Rankings
View All Mechanical Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
