2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Kansas
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for mechanical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
Wichita State University tops our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools in Kansas. Set in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Students borrow a median of $21,658 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $68,018. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wichita State University admits about 94% of applicants.
University Of Kansas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. Students from in state pay about $12,102 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $30,432. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $22,500. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $70,726 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. University Of Kansas admits about 94% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in mechanical engineering will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #3. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $72,627. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #4 makes Benedictine College one of the best values for mechanical engineering. Benedictine College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Atchison. Students from in state pay about $36,350 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $24,990. Mechanical Engineering graduates of Benedictine College earn a median of $71,539 early in their careers. Set against $24,990 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 4 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.
