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2023 Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

33 Ranked Colleges
1,941 Degrees Awarded
$33,100 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Great Lakes region, there were 32,891 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $69,005 and $24,728 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,941 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,305 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate” ranking, we looked at 33 colleges that offer a degree in engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular engineering programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region doctor’s degree engineering students.

1
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 365 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 Purdue University - Main Campus Engineering Report

2

Out of the 33 schools in the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 255 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Michigan - Ann Arbor

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 201 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at UIUC

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 176 doctorate’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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 124 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Engineering Report

6
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 116 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern Engineering Report

7
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 70 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Notre Dame

8
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 67 doctorate’s 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Michigan State Engineering Report

9

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 64 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Illinois at Chicago

10

With a ranking of #10, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 63 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Case Western

11

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 57 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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.

Read more about Engineering at UC

12

University of Akron Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 52 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

13

Michigan Technological University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 doctorate’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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 more about Engineering at Michigan Technological University

14

Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #14. Illinois Tech is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 33 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Illinois Institute of Technology

15
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

With a ranking of #15, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. Wayne State University is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Wayne State University Engineering Report

16

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #16. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 29 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Engineering at UWM

17

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #17. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 22 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Engineering at OHIO Athens

18

With a ranking of #18, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 21 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Wright State University - Main Campus Engineering Report

19
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #19. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 doctorate’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Engineering at University of Chicago

20
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. Western Michigan University is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 doctorate’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Engineering at Western Michigan University

20

Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management is a public institution located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Engineering at AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management

22

With a ranking of #22, University of Toledo did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate list. University of Toledo is a public institution located in Toledo, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 17 doctorate’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Engineering at University of Toledo

23

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking, coming in at #23. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Engineering Report

24

University of Dayton came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 14 doctorate’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 Dayton

25
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Doctorate ranking. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s engineering degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at Marquette University

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Most Popular Doctor's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. in the Great Lakes Region

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