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2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

14 Ranked Colleges
555 Degrees Awarded
$15,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

General Engineering is the 78th most popular major in the country with 11,925 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $66,152 and had an average of $20,077 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,754 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,330 and $24,526 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 555 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 14 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 5 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $3,995 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a 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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University General Engineering Report

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan Technological University landed the #2 spot on the list. Michigan Technological University is a medium-sized school located in Houghton, Michigan that handed out 3 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan Tech also made our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan Tech is $9,049 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Michigan Tech

#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 125 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,197 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 General Engineering at Michigan State University

#4

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern Indiana. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Evansville, Indiana, this fairly large public school awarded 27 degrees to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

USI also made our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend USI is $9,842 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at USI

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Case Western Reserve University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Case Western is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 1 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Case Western not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Case Western Reserve University is $19,034 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Case Western General Engineering Report

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,526 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read full report on General Engineering at WIU

#7

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Olivet Nazarene is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 79 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Olivet Nazarene also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,390 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Olivet Nazarene University

#8

Hope College

Holland, Michigan

Hope College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Hope is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Holland, Michigan. It awarded 57 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Hope also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hope is $17,573 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 full report on General Engineering at Hope College

#10 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $17,692 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Miami University - Oxford

#10

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee School of Engineering ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Milwaukee School of Engineering is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

MSOE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Milwaukee School of Engineering is $16,882 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at MSOE

#9 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Athens, Ohio, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

OHIO Athens also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,863 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend OHIO Athens.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus General Engineering Report

#12

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, Michigan

Andrews University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Andrews University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berrien Springs, Michigan. It awarded 16 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Andrews, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Andrews is $20,330 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Andrews University

#14 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 4 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,803 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Read more about General Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

#14

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Calvin University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 83 degrees to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

Calvin also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Calvin is $21,920 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 General Engineering at Calvin 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

Footnotes

  • *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 Rémi Kaupp.

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