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2026 Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Polymer & Plastics Engineering](/majors/engineering/polymer-and-plastics-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for polymer & plastics engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

2026 Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in polymer & plastics engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools

1

University Of Akron Main Campus
Akron, OH

$13,135 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,347 Avg Student Debt

$46,600 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked University Of Akron Main Campus the best value for a degree in polymer & plastics engineering in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Akron. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,135, with out-of-state students paying around $20,815. Typical student debt for polymer & plastics engineering graduates is $25,347. Early-career polymer & plastics engineering graduates make about $49,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.

2

Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH

$66,608 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,106 Avg Student Debt

$87,989 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in polymer & plastics engineering will find it at Case Western Reserve University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,608. Typical student debt for polymer & plastics engineering graduates is $25,106. Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates of Case Western Reserve University earn a median of $74,459 early in their careers. Set against $25,106 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.

View All Polymer & Plastics Engineering Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 6 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.