2027 Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Pre-Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/pre-engineering/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value pre-engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pre-engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools
For return on investment in pre-engineering, no school beat Henry Ford Community College this year. Located in the city of Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,568, compared with $7,816 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,813 to complete the pre-engineering program here. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Henry Ford Community College generally make around $36,247. That is a strong return on a $11,813 median debt.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value pre-engineering schools. Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Kalamazoo. Students from in state pay about $4,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,094. Students borrow a median of $15,525 to complete the pre-engineering program here. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Kalamazoo Valley Community College generally make around $44,198. That is a strong return on a $15,525 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in pre-engineering will find it at Ivy Tech Community College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,154, compared with $9,935 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,889 to complete the pre-engineering program here. Pre-Engineering graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $40,734 early in their careers. Set against $11,889 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Bay De Noc Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value pre-engineering schools. Set in the town of Escanaba, Bay De Noc Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,214, while out-of-state students pay about $11,453. Pre-Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,625 in student loans. Early-career pre-engineering graduates make about $39,075. Set against $17,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Platteville earned it the #5 place for pre-engineering. University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Platteville. In-state tuition and fees average $8,644, while out-of-state students pay about $17,603. Pre-Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,677 in student loans. Pre-Engineering graduates of University Of Wisconsin Platteville earn a median of $96,767 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Wisconsin Platteville admits about 89% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.