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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Engineering in the Plains States Region

23 Ranked Colleges
1,935 Degrees Awarded
$82,558 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 198,468 engineering students received their degree, making the major the 7th most popular in the country. 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. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,935 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,401 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in engineering. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their engineering program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region”.

Top 23 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Engineering in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region. SD Mines is a small public school situated in Rapid City, South Dakota. It awarded 82 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 221 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Engineering Report

3
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 23 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #3 spot on the list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s engineering degrees to 318 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Engineering at Washington University in St Louis

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 212 masters’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Engineering at Iowa State University

5
WSU crest
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wichita State University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region. WSU is located in Wichita, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 masters’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Engineering at WSU

6

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. UMKC is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 80 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 University of Missouri - Kansas City

7

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. UMN Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 304 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Engineering Report

8

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. UNL is a large public school situated in Lincoln, Nebraska. It awarded 119 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Engineering Report

9
UST MN crest
University of St Thomas Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #9, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 44 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Full University of St Thomas Minnesota Engineering Report

10
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Cloud State University is a public institution located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

11
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #11, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. South Dakota State is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 36 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at South Dakota State University

12
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University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified masters’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Engineering at University of North Dakota

13
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Louis University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 39 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%. 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.

Full SLU Engineering Report

14

North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s engineering degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full North Dakota State University Engineering Report

15

University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a medium-sized school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 22 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at UMN Duluth

16
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #16. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s engineering degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

Full University of Central Missouri Engineering Report

17
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school handed out 47 diplomas to qualified masters’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at Kansas State University

18
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. University of Kansas is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 57 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Kansas

19
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 70 masters’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full Iowa Engineering Report

20

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 masters’s engineering degrees to qualified 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Engineering Report

21

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Engineering Report

22
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University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. University of South Dakota is located in Vermillion, South Dakota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 masters’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at USD

23
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine crest
Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Rochester, Minnesota

Mayo Clinic School of Medicine ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Engineering Major in the Plains States Region list. Mayo Clinic School of Medicine is a small school located in Rochester, Minnesota that handed out 6 masters’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Engineering at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine

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Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Mining Engineering in the Plains States Region

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Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Petroleum Engineering in the Plains States Region

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Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Construction Engineering in the Plains States Region

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Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering in the Plains States Region

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Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Geoscience Engineering in the Plains States Region

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. in the Plains States Region

Other Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Other Engineering in the Plains States Region

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering in the Plains States Region

Architectural Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Architectural Engineering in the Plains States Region

Ceramic Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Ceramic Engineering in the Plains States Region

Civil Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering in the Plains States Region

Electrical Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Electrical Engineering in the Plains States Region

Engineering Science
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Engineering Science in the Plains States Region

Materials Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering in the Plains States Region

Metallurgical Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering in the Plains States Region

Nuclear Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering in the Plains States Region

Systems Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering in the Plains States Region

Industrial Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Industrial Engineering in the Plains States Region

Operations Research
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Operations Research in the Plains States Region

Biological Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Biological Engineering in the Plains States Region

Energy Systems Engineering
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering in the Plains States Region

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Notes and References

References

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