[Engineering-Related Fields](/majors/engineering-technologies/engineering-related-fields/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong engineering-related fields education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 14 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering-related fields students.
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Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering-related fields, balancing cost against outcomes.
Cuny City College earned the #1 spot for value among engineering-related fields schools in New York. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,340, with out-of-state students paying around $15,290. Students borrow a median of $13,389 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $53,154. Set against $13,389 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cuny City College admits about 60% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University At Buffalo earned it the #2 place for engineering-related fields. Set in the suburb of Buffalo, University At Buffalo is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,936 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $31,536. Students borrow a median of $22,232 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $52,403. That is a strong return on a $22,232 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in engineering-related fields will find it at New York Institute Of Technology, which ranked #3. New York Institute Of Technology is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Old Westbury. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,560. Students borrow a median of $25,435 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of New York Institute Of Technology earn a median of $61,734 early in their careers. Set against $25,435 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Rochester Institute Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering-related fields, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Rochester, Rochester Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $59,210 in tuition and fees. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $27,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Rochester Institute Of Technology generally make around $74,923. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 67%.
A rank of #5 makes Clarkson University one of the best values for engineering-related fields. Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Potsdam. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,398. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Clarkson University generally make around $89,312. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Cornell University earned the #6 position for value in engineering-related fields this year. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $15,005 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $83,323. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 9%.
New York University placed #7 among the best values for engineering-related fields. New York University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $62,796. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from New York University generally make around $88,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Hofstra University placed #8 among the best values for engineering-related fields. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $57,660. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $24,848 in student loans. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of $55,705 early in their careers. Set against $24,848 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Hofstra University admits about 68% of applicants.
Syracuse University earned the #9 position for value in engineering-related fields this year. Located in the city of Syracuse, Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,528. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $26,130 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $54,785. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Pratt Institute Main ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Pratt Institute Main is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Brooklyn. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,845. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $25,103. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $38,569. Set against $25,103 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
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 · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
