2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
Montgomery College earned the #1 spot for value among general engineering schools in Maryland. Located in the city of Rockville, Montgomery College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,394 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,250. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $11,230. General Engineering graduates of Montgomery College earn a median of $24,833 early in their careers. Set against $11,230 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Hagerstown Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Hagerstown, Hagerstown Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,320, compared with $8,190 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $15,126. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $46,478. Set against $15,126 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
College Of Southern Maryland is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. College Of Southern Maryland is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of La Plata. Students from in state pay about $4,200 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $9,450. Students borrow a median of $9,728 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $51,719. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Harford Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the rural area of Bel Air, Harford Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,032 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,832. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $12,624. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Harford Community College generally make around $50,636. Set against $12,624 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Howard Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the city of Columbia, Howard Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,599, compared with $10,836 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,115 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Howard Community College generally make around $56,172. That is a strong return on a $18,115 median debt.
Prince Georges Community College came in at #6 for value in general engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Largo, Prince Georges Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,034 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,762. Students borrow a median of $13,949 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Prince Georges Community College earn a median of $56,960 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,949 median debt.
University Of Maryland Eastern Shore landed the #7 spot for general engineering value this year. Set in the town of Princess Anne, University Of Maryland Eastern Shore is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,076, compared with $20,122 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,166 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $73,839. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland Eastern Shore admits about 96% of applicants.
Morgan State University placed #8 among the best values for general engineering. Located in the city of Baltimore, Morgan State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,229 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,124. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $30,309. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $49,736. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Frostburg State University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Frostburg. In-state tuition and fees average $10,220, with out-of-state students paying around $25,814. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $23,750. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Frostburg State University generally make around $62,968. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
University Of Maryland College Park landed the #10 spot for general engineering value this year. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,836 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $107,207 early in their careers. Set against $20,836 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Anne Arundel Community College landed the #11 spot for general engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of Arnold, Anne Arundel Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,322, compared with $11,522 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,947 to complete the general engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Anne Arundel Community College generally make around $59,894. That is a strong return on a $13,947 median debt.
Loyola University Baltimore earned the #12 position for value in general engineering this year. Set in the city of Baltimore, Loyola University Baltimore is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $57,150. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Loyola University Baltimore earn a median of $64,116 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 20 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.
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-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.
