by our College Data Analytics Team
[Systems Engineering](/majors/engineering/systems-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for systems engineering students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in systems engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
For return on investment in systems engineering, no school beat University Of Dayton this year. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. Systems Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,033 in student loans. Early-career systems engineering graduates make about $56,077. That is a strong return on a $25,033 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.