2026 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in North Dakota
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
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 North Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is North Dakota State University Main Campus, our #1 best value for mechanical engineering in North Dakota. North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Fargo. In-state tuition and fees average $10,910, while out-of-state students pay about $15,564. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $72,158. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
University Of North Dakota is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,951 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,570 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of North Dakota earn a median of $73,603 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 2 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.
