2027 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Master’s Degree Schools
[Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong nuclear engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value nuclear engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the nuclear engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools
University Of Florida tops our 2027 list of the best value nuclear engineering schools in the United States. Located in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,381 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,659 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,669 to complete the nuclear engineering program here. Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of $58,388 early in their careers. Set against $17,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 24%.
Students looking for strong value in nuclear engineering will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Nuclear Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $112,747. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 16%.
University Of California Berkeley is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the nuclear engineering program here. Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus one of the best values for nuclear engineering. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Atlanta. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,058, compared with $34,484 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $24,879. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus generally make around $83,560. That is a strong return on a $24,879 median debt. Georgia Institute Of Technology Main Campus admits about 14% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in nuclear engineering will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $21,350. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $81,134. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Purdue University Main Campus earned the #6 position for value in nuclear engineering this year. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Nuclear Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $63,226. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned the #7 position for value in nuclear engineering this year. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the nuclear engineering program here. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from North Carolina State University At Raleigh generally make around $74,540. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison placed #8 among the best values for nuclear engineering. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $21,813. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $59,877. Set against $21,813 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Tennessee earned the #9 position for value in nuclear engineering this year. Set in the city of Knoxville, The University Of Tennessee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,812, while out-of-state students pay about $33,256. Nuclear Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $73,724. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology placed #10 among the best values for nuclear engineering. Set in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $62,396. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $13,516. Nuclear Engineering graduates of Massachusetts Institute Of Technology earn a median of $113,129 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,516 median debt. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology admits about 4% of applicants.
Oregon State University placed #11 among the best values for nuclear engineering. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, with out-of-state students paying around $38,190. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $27,000. Nuclear Engineering graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $69,657 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
Texas A And M University College Station earned the #12 position for value in nuclear engineering this year. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,124. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $18,471. Nuclear Engineering graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $66,604 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,471 median debt. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines earned the #13 position for value in nuclear engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,914, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. Students borrow a median of $24,521 to complete the nuclear engineering program here. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $76,298. Set against $24,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Other Nuclear Engineering Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Nuclear Engineering rankings across degree levels:
View All Nuclear Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
