Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering-related fields, balancing cost against outcomes.
Our analysis ranked Wichita State University the best value for a degree in engineering-related fields in Kansas. Set in the city of Wichita, Wichita State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,684, compared with $19,869 for out-of-state students. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $24,262 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $49,278. That is a strong return on a $24,262 median debt. Wichita State University admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Kansas one of the best values for engineering-related fields. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. In-state tuition and fees average $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $23,608. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $122,538. That is a strong return on a $23,608 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Pittsburg State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pittsburg. Students from in state pay about $8,400 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $19,744. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $22,669 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $50,003. Set against $22,669 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
