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2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

17 Ranked Colleges
477 Degrees Awarded
$11,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Nuclear Engineering is the 233rd most popular major in the country with 948 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, nuclear engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $61,244 and had an average of $23,833 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 477 nuclear engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in nuclear engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality nuclear engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the nuclear engineering program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT also took the #1 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $1,820 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MIT.

The 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 low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,464 for Bachelor’s Degree 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 student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#3

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

UF also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $4,069 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Florida.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at University of Florida

#4

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 #4 for the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 27 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $5,879 for bachelor’s degree 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 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $6,860 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UW - Madison

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s nuclear engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $5,887 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at U-M

#5 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,130 for Bachelor’s Degree 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 96%. The school has an impressive 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 University of California - Berkeley

#8

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NC State is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 19 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $9,887 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend North Carolina State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at NC State

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgia Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $11,454 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Nuclear Engineering Report

#10

Texas A&M University - College Station

College Station, Texas

Texas A&M University - College Station came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Texas A&M University - College Station is located in College Station, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 69 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M College Station is $13,270 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Nuclear Engineering Report

Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,660 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UT Knoxville is a public institution located in Knoxville, Tennessee. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Knoxville also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $13,745 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UT Knoxville

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Troy, New York, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

RPI also took the #3 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is $24,361 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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

#14

Oregon State University

Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Oregon State University is a large school located in Corvallis, Oregon that handed out 34 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Oregon State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $15,770 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oregon State University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State University

#15

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#17 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $14,458 for Bachelor’s Degree Nuclear Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNM.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at UNM

#16

Idaho State University

Pocatello, Idaho
#16 in overall quality

Idaho State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Idaho State University is a fairly large school located in Pocatello, Idaho that handed out 10 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

ISU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for ISU is $15,639 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Idaho State University Nuclear Engineering Report

#17

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, South Carolina

South Carolina State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. South Carolina State University is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, South Carolina State University has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $20,715 for bachelor’s degree nuclear engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend South Carolina State University.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at South Carolina State University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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