College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

22 Ranked Colleges
864 Degrees Awarded
$10,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 864 people earned their degree in nuclear engineering, making the major the 253rd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, nuclear engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $59,111 and had an average of $22,196 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 22 colleges that offered a degree in nuclear engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent nuclear engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the nuclear engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nuclear Engineering Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 22 Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MIT, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $-2,603 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 98%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full MIT Nuclear Engineering Report

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Florida is a public institution located in Gainesville, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $2,857 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UF

3

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 75 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $5,670 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 39 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,788 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

5
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Purdue also took the #9 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,853 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

6

University of California - Berkeley landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $9,999 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UC Berkeley

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 39 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

8

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Georgia Tech is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Georgia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $11,712 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

9
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 40 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NC State is $9,448 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at NC State

10

Texas A&M University - College Station landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large school located in College Station, Texas that handed out 101 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $12,949 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M College Station

11

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 9 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $8,581 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Nuclear Engineering Report

12

With a ranking of #12, Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 36 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $9,820 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

13

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 67 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UT Knoxville has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,970 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UT Knoxville.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UT Knoxville

14
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech also took the #13 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $14,003 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Virginia Tech Nuclear Engineering Report

15
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

University of Idaho ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. U of I is located in Moscow, Idaho and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of I, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,148 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend U of I.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at U of I

16
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. K -State is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

K -State also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $14,653 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend K -State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University

17
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

With a ranking of #17, University of Utah did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Salt Lake City, Utah is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U of U, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $11,823 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Utah.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full U of U Nuclear Engineering Report

18
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, Oregon and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oregon State, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oregon State is $17,173 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State University

19
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Mines is a medium-sized school located in Golden, Colorado that handed out 7 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Mines has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mines is $13,690 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Mines

20

With a ranking of #20, University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 21 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UNM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus is $14,530 for Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UNM Nuclear Engineering Report

21

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

RPI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $20,738 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend RPI.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full RPI Nuclear Engineering Report

22
ISU crest
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho

Idaho State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pocatello, Idaho is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, ISU has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Idaho State University is $16,214 for nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full ISU Nuclear Engineering Report

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $30-$48k)

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Marine Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Marine Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Textile Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Textile Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (Income $30-$48k)

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Electromechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biochemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $30-$48k)

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Ocean Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ocean Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Forest Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Forest Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Surveying Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Surveying Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Robotics Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Chemistry
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Chemistry (Income $30-$48k)

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $30-$48k)

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options