[General Metallurgical Engineering](/majors/engineering/metallurgical-engineering/general-metallurgical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for general metallurgical engineering students.
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Where you study general metallurgical engineering affects both what you pay and what you earn. To help, we created our Best Value General Metallurgical Engineering Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
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To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general metallurgical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in general metallurgical engineering, no school beat The University Of Texas At El Paso this year. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public school located in the city of El Paso. Students from in state pay about $9,544 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $25,502. Typical student debt for general metallurgical engineering graduates is $20,490. General Metallurgical Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At El Paso earn a median of $53,478 early in their careers. Set against $20,490 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 100% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general metallurgical engineering will find it at Missouri University Of Science And Technology, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,984, with out-of-state students paying around $33,248. General Metallurgical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general metallurgical engineering graduates make about $80,627. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
Students looking for strong value in general metallurgical engineering will find it at South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,500, while out-of-state students pay about $14,900. Students borrow a median of $27,500 to complete the general metallurgical engineering program here. Early-career general metallurgical engineering graduates make about $71,985. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general metallurgical engineering will find it at The University Of Alabama, which ranked #4. The University Of Alabama is a very large public school located in the city of Tuscaloosa. Students from in state pay about $12,180 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,172 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general metallurgical engineering graduates is $24,496. Soon after graduation, general metallurgical engineering degree recipients from The University Of Alabama generally make around $50,740. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Alabama admits about 77% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Colorado School Of Mines one of the best values for general metallurgical engineering. Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,269 to complete the general metallurgical engineering program here. Early-career general metallurgical engineering graduates make about $78,984. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
