College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

25 Ranked Colleges
11,973 Degrees Awarded
$13,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 198,468 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, engineering is the 7th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,653 and had an average of $23,855 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 11,973 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,381 and $24,851 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the 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 Engineering Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 658 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL also took the #1 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Washington University in St Louis is $2,446 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, 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 undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full WUSTL Engineering Report

2

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,312 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,609 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 1,913 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,427 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State Engineering Report

4

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #4 spot on the list. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 1,478 students in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri University of Science and Technology is $9,820 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Engineering Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 309 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UMN Duluth also took the #16 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $8,697 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Engineering Report

6

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Mizzou is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 511 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Columbia is $11,386 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Engineering Report

7

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. UNL is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 670 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNL, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $13,453 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UNL Engineering Report

8

With a ranking of #8, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Fargo, North Dakota. It awarded 450 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,735 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at North Dakota State University

9
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 307 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UND has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $13,151 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full UND Engineering Report

10
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 577 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $15,508 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Iowa

11

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. UMSL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMSL has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - St Louis is $8,324 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Engineering at University of Missouri - St Louis

12
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 579 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, K -State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,653 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Kansas State University.

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

Read more about Engineering at K -State

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UMKC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 205 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMKC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,751 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMKC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Missouri - Kansas City

14
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 498 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $16,288 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Engineering at KU

15

Wichita State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wichita State University is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 471 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wichita State University is $12,272 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Engineering at WSU

16
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 130 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, St. Cloud State University has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,825 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 St. Cloud State University Engineering Report

17

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 147 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $12,263 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Minnesota State Mankato Engineering Report

18
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 20 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Winona State also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $12,963 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full Winona State University Engineering Report

19
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 179 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,846 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend South Dakota State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about Engineering at South Dakota State

20

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SD Mines is a small public school situated in Rapid City, South Dakota. It awarded 377 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SD Mines also took the #14 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,736 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Read more about Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

21
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

With a ranking of #21, University of Central Missouri did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and it awarded 32 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UCM also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for UCM is $12,120 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Engineering at University of Central Missouri

22
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 206 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SLU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis University is $16,755 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Engineering at SLU

23
Dunwoody College of Technology crest
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dunwoody College of Technology ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Dunwoody College of Technology is a small school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 32 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Dunwoody College of Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dunwoody College of Technology is $24,054 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Engineering at Dunwoody College of Technology

24
Dordt crest
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. Dordt is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sioux Center, Iowa. It awarded 53 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Dordt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dordt is $20,101 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Dordt Engineering Report

25

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UST MN is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 210 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Thomas Minnesota is $27,782 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at University of St Thomas Minnesota

Switch to a More Focused Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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