2027 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools in Virginia
[Systems Engineering](/majors/engineering/systems-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for systems engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools in Virginia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the systems engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Systems Engineering Schools
For return on investment in systems engineering, no school beat George Mason University this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfax, George Mason University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,220, with out-of-state students paying around $38,688. Typical student debt for systems engineering graduates is $21,000. Systems Engineering graduates of George Mason University earn a median of $101,091 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Virginia Main Campus one of the best values for systems engineering. Located in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Typical student debt for systems engineering graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, systems engineering degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $103,476. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ecpi University earned it the #3 place for systems engineering. Located in the city of Virginia Beach, Ecpi University is a large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,484. Students borrow a median of $27,988 to complete the systems engineering program here. Early-career systems engineering graduates make about $48,429. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #4 place for systems engineering. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, while out-of-state students pay about $37,764. Students borrow a median of $23,393 to complete the systems engineering program here. Systems Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earn a median of $60,004 early in their careers. Set against $23,393 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.
More Systems Engineering Rankings
View All Systems Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
