2023 Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
14
Ranked Colleges
342
Degrees Awarded
$12,400
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
Engineering Physics is the 244th most popular major in the country with 994 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, engineering physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $53,863 and had an average of $25,114 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 342 engineering physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $55,612 and $25,349 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered a degree in engineering physics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent engineering 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 physics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Engineering Physics Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 14 Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $0-$30k) 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 Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $245 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. 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.
Read more about Engineering Physics at Northwestern University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering Physics at U-M
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $4,858 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $7,068 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering physics students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $3,981 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Engineering Physics at UW - Madison
University of Wisconsin - Platteville ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a medium-sized public school situated in Platteville, Wisconsin. It awarded 22 ’s engineering physics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Platteville, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,887 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville.
Read more about Engineering Physics at University of Wisconsin - Platteville
Oakland University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering physics degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oakland, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $8,949 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at Oakland University
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s engineering physics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,549 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIC.
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 Physics at University of Illinois at Chicago
With a ranking of #9, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. 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 Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $13,956 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Miami University - Oxford Engineering Physics Report
Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 5 ’s engineering physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Case Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Case Western is $16,063 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 full report on Engineering Physics at Case Western
Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering physics degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Illinois Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,515 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois Institute of Technology.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at Illinois Institute of Technology
Marquette University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1 ’s engineering physics degrees in 2020-2021.
Marquette also made our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $18,589 for Great Lakes Region Engineering Physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Marquette.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at Marquette
Kettering University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Flint, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering physics degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k list, Kettering has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kettering is $24,706 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering Physics at Kettering University
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Terre Haute, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering physics students in 2020-2021.
Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Engineering Physics Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $33,997 for great lakes region engineering physics students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.
Read more about Engineering Physics at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology
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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.
