2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Michigan
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong chemical engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for chemical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Michigan
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in chemical engineering, no school beat University Of Michigan Ann Arbor this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Students borrow a median of $21,250 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $86,209 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,250 median debt. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in chemical engineering will find it at Wayne State University, which ranked #2. Wayne State University is a very large public school located in the city of Detroit. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, with out-of-state students paying around $34,650. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $29,900 in student loans. Chemical Engineering graduates of Wayne State University earn a median of $71,373 early in their careers. Set against $29,900 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 81%.
A rank of #3 makes Michigan Technological University one of the best values for chemical engineering. Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Houghton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,532, with out-of-state students paying around $44,807. Students borrow a median of $24,750 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $80,193. That is a strong return on a $24,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Michigan University earned it the #4 place for chemical engineering. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. Students from in state pay about $15,987 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,952. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median of $68,632 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Michigan State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value chemical engineering schools. 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 $26,573 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $79,023. That is a strong return on a $26,573 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Kettering University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value chemical engineering schools. Located in the city of Flint, Kettering University is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,425. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $71,411. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kettering University admits about 79% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 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.
