2026 Best Value General Engineering Technology Schools in Illinois
[General Engineering Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/general-engineering-technology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering technology education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for general engineering technology students.
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2026 Best Value General Engineering Technology Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering technology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Technology Schools
Our analysis ranked Western Illinois University the best value for a degree in general engineering technology in Illinois. Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Macomb. Students from in state pay about $14,572 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $32,373 to complete the general engineering technology program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering technology degree recipients from Western Illinois University generally make around $64,762. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering technology will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,274 to complete the general engineering technology program here. General Engineering Technology graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median of $62,117 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Illinois State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering technology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Typical student debt for general engineering technology graduates is $19,500. General Engineering Technology graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $55,532 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
Morrison Institute Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering technology, landing the #4 spot this year. Morrison Institute Of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Morrison. Students from in state pay about $20,422 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general engineering technology graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, general engineering technology degree recipients from Morrison Institute Of Technology generally make around $39,332. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 7 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.
