by our College Data Analytics Team
[Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for nuclear engineering students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nuclear engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, our #1 best value for nuclear engineering in New York. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,078. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $19,500. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $77,014. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
This ranking is produced 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 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.