2023 Best Value Colleges for Engineering & Applied Physics (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
14
Ranked Colleges
342
Degrees Awarded
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Engineering & Applied Physics is the 448th most popular major in the country with 994 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 342 engineering and applied physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in engineering and applied physics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent engineering and applied physics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the engineering and applied physics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
The applied physics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
Top 14 Best Value Colleges for Engineering & Applied Physics (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $5,849 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Northwestern
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 21 degrees to qualified ’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
U-M also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,481 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #3 spot on the list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 23 ’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $13,273 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Ohio State University - Main Campus
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified ’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,505 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at UIUC
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 22 degrees to qualified ’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
UW - Platteville also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,699 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Platteville.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at UW - Platteville
University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $10,364 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Oakland University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Oakland is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 1 ’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Oakland also made our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $12,008 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Oakland University Engineering & Applied Physics Report
University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIC has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,105 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at UIC
Case Western Reserve University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 5 ’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Case Western has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Case Western Reserve University is $19,864 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Case Western Reserve University
Illinois Institute of Technology came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois Tech has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,339 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois Institute of Technology.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Illinois Institute of Technology
Miami University - Oxford came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Oxford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $23,513 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Miami University - Oxford Engineering & Applied Physics Report
Marquette University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Marquette is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s applied physics degrees to qualified students.
Marquette also took the #11 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,377 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Marquette University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Marquette Engineering & Applied Physics Report
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified ’s applied physics students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k list, Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $34,201 for great lakes region applied physics students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Engineering & Applied Physics at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology
Kettering University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Kettering University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Flint, Michigan. It awarded 8 ’s applied physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Kettering also took the #10 spot in our “Best Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kettering is $30,405 for Great Lakes Region Applied Physics students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering & Applied Physics at Kettering University
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to NASA.
