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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

17 Ranked Colleges
875 Degrees Awarded
$11,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 3,604 people earned their degree in systems engineering, making the major the 164th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, systems engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $90,261 and had an average of $27,803 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 875 systems engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in systems engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent systems engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the systems engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Systems Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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.

Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

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 Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $5,273 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at WUSTL

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Pennsylvania is a large school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 30 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn also took the #3 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $3,181 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Systems Engineering at UPenn

#3

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s systems engineering degrees to 119 students in 2019-2020.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Florida is $1,994 for bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, 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.

Read more about Systems Engineering at UF

#4

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Maritime is a small public school situated in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. It awarded 20 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Maritime did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Massachusetts Maritime Academy is $6,235 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Massachusetts Maritime Academy Systems Engineering Report

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #5 spot on the list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $5,477 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Systems Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#6

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 126 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia also took the #2 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,882 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Virginia.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 Systems Engineering at University of Virginia - Main Campus

#7

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Ferris State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s systems engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Ferris has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $7,207 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Ferris State University Systems Engineering Report

#8

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this large public school awarded 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s systems engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Arizona has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $10,562 for bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read full report on Systems Engineering at University of Arizona

#9

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNC Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 56 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNC Charlotte has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Charlotte is $11,991 for bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

#10

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

With a ranking of #10, George Mason University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GMU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GMU is $16,204 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at George Mason University

#9 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 6 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $18,708 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at Case Western

#12

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. GWU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 16 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

GWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for GWU is $17,614 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full George Washington University Systems Engineering Report

#13

Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, Maine

Maine Maritime Academy did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Castine, Maine, this small public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s systems engineering students in 2019-2020.

Maine Maritime also made our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Maine Maritime is $19,331 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Maine Maritime

#14

Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, this large public school awarded 33 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s systems engineering students in 2019-2020.

KSU Georgia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for KSU Georgia is $13,975 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full KSU Georgia Systems Engineering Report

#15

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado
#17 in overall quality

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCCS is a fairly large public school situated in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It awarded 2 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCCS, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is $13,103 for Bachelor’s Degree Systems Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at UCCS

#16

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Little Rock, Arkansas

University of Arkansas at Little Rock came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Arkansas at Little Rock is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

UA Little Rock also made our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $13,936 for bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Read more about Systems Engineering at UA Little Rock

#17

Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, New Jersey
#12 in overall quality

Stevens Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. This medium-sized school is located in Hoboken, New Jersey, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s systems engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Stevens has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $26,709 for bachelor’s degree systems engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stevens.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Stevens Institute of Technology Systems Engineering Report

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to luis gomes.

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