2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in New Jersey
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value General Engineering Schools in New Jersey
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
Leading the list is Essex County College, our #1 best value for general engineering in New Jersey. Set in the city of Newark, Essex County College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,415, while out-of-state students pay about $9,523. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $12,472. General Engineering graduates of Essex County College earn a median of $37,915 early in their careers. Set against $12,472 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Union County College came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general engineering schools. Union County College is a large public school located in the suburb of Cranford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,280, compared with $9,500 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $8,508. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Union County College generally make around $27,813. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Atlantic Cape Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the rural area of Mays Landing, Atlantic Cape Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,594, with out-of-state students paying around $8,350. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $12,002 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $37,141. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Brookdale Community College, which ranked #4. Brookdale Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Lincroft. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,270, with out-of-state students paying around $10,140. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $12,651 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Brookdale Community College earn a median of $37,374 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,651 median debt.
Ocean County College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Toms River, Ocean County College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,906, compared with $6,970 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,792 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Ocean County College generally make around $41,306. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Gloucester County College earned the #6 position for value in general engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Sewell, Gloucester County College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,160, while out-of-state students pay about $6,000. Students borrow a median of $13,236 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Gloucester County College earn a median of $38,274 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rowan University landed the #7 spot for general engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of Glassboro, Rowan University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,574, compared with $26,932 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $24,488. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Rowan University generally make around $84,255. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
