2026 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. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value mechanical engineering schools.
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2026 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
For return on investment in mechanical engineering, no school beat Wichita State University this year. Set in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, with out-of-state students paying around $19,869. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,658 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $68,018. Set against $21,658 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
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. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,102, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,500 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $70,726. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. University Of Kansas admits about 94% of applicants.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. 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. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in mechanical engineering will find it at Benedictine College, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Atchison, Benedictine College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,350. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $24,990. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $71,539. That is a strong return on a $24,990 median debt. Benedictine College admits about 98% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 5 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.
