2026 Best Value General Engineering Schools in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general engineering, no school beat Delaware County Community College this year. Located in the suburb of Media, Delaware County Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,930, compared with $15,540 for out-of-state students. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,866 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Delaware County Community College earn a median of $40,102 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,866 median debt.
Bucks County Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Newtown, Bucks County Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,646 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,926 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $13,068. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Bucks County Community College generally make around $37,711. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg one of the best values for general engineering. Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg is a large public school located in the city of Harrisburg. In-state tuition and fees average $6,975, while out-of-state students pay about $12,472. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $20,867. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg generally make around $41,382. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Swarthmore College one of the best values for general engineering. Set in the suburb of Swarthmore, Swarthmore College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,494. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the general engineering program here. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $66,971. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Students looking for strong value in general engineering will find it at Community College Of Philadelphia, which ranked #5. Community College Of Philadelphia is a large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,632, with out-of-state students paying around $12,744. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,059 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Community College Of Philadelphia generally make around $37,988. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Millersville University Of Pennsylvania ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Millersville, Millersville University Of Pennsylvania is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,128, while out-of-state students pay about $22,952. Students borrow a median of $26,486 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Millersville University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $47,049 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,486 median debt. Millersville University Of Pennsylvania admits about 86% of applicants.
Geneva College landed the #7 spot for general engineering value this year. Geneva College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Beaver Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $33,450. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Engineering graduates of Geneva College earn a median of $62,486 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt.
Elizabethtown College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $37,950. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general engineering degree recipients from Elizabethtown College generally make around $73,003. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Robert Morris University placed #9 among the best values for general engineering. Set in the suburb of Moon Township, Robert Morris University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $35,770 in tuition and fees. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $61,163. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earned the #10 position for value in general engineering this year. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. In-state tuition and fees average $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. General Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $72,825. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
Carnegie Mellon University earned the #11 position for value in general engineering this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,636. Students borrow a median of $23,529 to complete the general engineering program here. General Engineering graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn a median of $89,327 early in their careers. Set against $23,529 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Lafayette College placed #12 among the best values for general engineering. Lafayette College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Easton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,648. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $16,931. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $76,507. Set against $16,931 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 31%.
Villanova University landed the #13 spot for general engineering value this year. Villanova University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Villanova. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,776. Typical student debt for general engineering graduates is $26,184. Early-career general engineering graduates make about $72,601. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 37 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering education at a price that pays off.
