2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
26
Ranked Colleges
1,712
Degrees Awarded
$11,000
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
General Engineering is the 79th most popular major in the country with 11,796 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, general engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,873 and had an average of $20,557 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,712 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $76,207 and $23,456 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 26 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The engineering 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 Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value Engineering 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 #1 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 64 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $3,981 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison General Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 6 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $245 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.
Read more about General Engineering at Northwestern
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 96 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,995 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Purdue General Engineering Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $4,858 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. 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 more about General Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 103 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $6,927 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about General Engineering at Michigan State University
Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio State also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $7,068 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 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 more about General Engineering at Ohio State
University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 47 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Platteville also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $8,887 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville General Engineering Report
Purdue University Fort Wayne ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue University Fort Wayne is a public institution located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
PFW not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend PFW is $7,414 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full PFW General Engineering Report
Grand Valley State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $10,259 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Engineering at GVSU
University of Southern Indiana landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Southern Indiana is a medium-sized school located in Evansville, Indiana that handed out 28 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USI, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USI is $7,815 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 full report on General Engineering at USI
Case Western Reserve University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Case Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,063 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.
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 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Case Western General Engineering Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school awarded 152 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $17,614 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Ohio University - Athens Campus General Engineering Report
With a ranking of #13, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Youngstown, Ohio, and it awarded 7 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Youngstown State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $9,175 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about General Engineering at Youngstown State University
Purdue University Northwest came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 5 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $6,775 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue University Northwest.
Full Purdue Northwest General Engineering Report
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 88 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $11,973 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full UWM General Engineering Report
With a ranking of #16, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $10,549 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Full UIC General Engineering Report
With a ranking of #17, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 12 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Miami University - Oxford, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $13,956 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on General Engineering at Miami University - Oxford
Wright State University - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 12 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wright State University - Main Campus, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $11,980 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Wright State University - Main Campus General Engineering Report
University of Akron Main Campus came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Akron Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $14,420 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about General Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus
Hope College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hope College is a small school located in Holland, Michigan that handed out 53 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hope, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hope is $17,553 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Engineering at Hope College
Milwaukee School of Engineering did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
MSOE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Milwaukee School of Engineering is $19,593 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Engineering at MSOE
Central Michigan University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Central Michigan University is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $10,805 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Engineering at Central Michigan University
With a ranking of #23, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 7 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
SIUC also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $11,665 for great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUC.
Read more about General Engineering at SIUC
Olivet Nazarene University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.
Olivet Nazarene also made our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $16,451 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Engineering at Olivet Nazarene
Calvin University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 85 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Calvin has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Calvin University is $22,080 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 87%.
Read more about General Engineering at Calvin
