If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering-related fields degrees they offer, see the list below.
University Of Michigan Dearborn earned the #1 spot for value among engineering-related fields schools in Michigan. Located in the city of Dearborn, University Of Michigan Dearborn is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,640, while out-of-state students pay about $32,896. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $26,516 in student loans. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of University Of Michigan Dearborn earn a median of $110,914 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Michigan Dearborn admits about 56% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Oakland University one of the best values for engineering-related fields. Set in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $17,167, compared with $24,735 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $25,972. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Oakland University earn a median of $112,624 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,972 median debt. Oakland University admits about 88% of applicants.
Wayne State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $26,689 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $128,271. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Michigan Technological University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Set in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $20,532, while out-of-state students pay about $44,807. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $27,875 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Michigan Technological University generally make around $68,919. Set against $27,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Central Michigan University one of the best values for engineering-related fields. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,480. Students borrow a median of $27,857 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Central Michigan University earn a median of $104,028 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Eastern Michigan University landed the #6 spot for engineering-related fields value this year. Located in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,990. Students borrow a median of $31,122 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Eastern Michigan University generally make around $84,244. That is a strong return on a $31,122 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Western Michigan University placed #7 among the best values for engineering-related fields. Located in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $67,992 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Michigan State University came in at #8 for value in engineering-related fields this year. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $23,756 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $76,563. That is a strong return on a $23,756 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Kettering University came in at #9 for value in engineering-related fields this year. Kettering University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Flint. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,425. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $28,913 in student loans. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Kettering University earn a median of $87,338 early in their careers. Set against $28,913 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Lawrence Technological University landed the #10 spot for engineering-related fields value this year. Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Southfield. In-state tuition and fees average $44,760. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $27,799. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Lawrence Technological University earn a median of $74,924 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lawrence Technological University admits about 56% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
[Engineering-Related Fields](/majors/engineering-technologies/engineering-related-fields/) 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.
