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2023 Most Popular Colleges for General Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

120 Ranked Colleges
1,712 Degrees Awarded
$30,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 120 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular general engineering programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

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.

Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region engineering students.

1
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 103 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Michigan State

2
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 96 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Engineering at Purdue

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 88 students in 2020-2021.

Full UWM General Engineering Report

4
Calvin crest
Calvin University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Calvin University landed the #4 spot on the list. Calvin University is a small school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan that handed out 85 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Calvin University

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio University - Athens Campus is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 152 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read more about General Engineering at Ohio University - Athens Campus

6

Sinclair Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Engineering at Sinclair Community College

7

With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on General Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

8
Hope crest
Hope College
Holland, Michigan

Hope College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Holland, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 53 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, 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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Hope College

9
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Olivet Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 48 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about General Engineering at Olivet Nazarene

10

University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized school is located in Platteville, Wisconsin, and it awarded 47 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Engineering at UW - Platteville

11
Henry Ford College crest
Henry Ford College
Dearborn, Michigan

Henry Ford College ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Henry Ford College is located in Dearborn, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Henry Ford College

12

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.

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 undergrad 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%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington General Engineering Report

13
Schoolcraft College crest
Schoolcraft College
Livonia, Michigan

Schoolcraft College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Schoolcraft College is a medium-sized school located in Livonia, Michigan that handed out 36 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Engineering at Schoolcraft College

14

William Rainey Harper College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Palatine, Illinois, and it awarded 35 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Engineering at Harper College

15
Washtenaw Community College crest
Washtenaw Community College
Ann Arbor, Michigan

With a ranking of #15, Washtenaw Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Washtenaw Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 31 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Washtenaw Community College General Engineering Report

15
COD crest
College of DuPage
Glen Ellyn, Illinois

College of DuPage came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and it awarded 31 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Engineering at College of DuPage

17
Parkland College crest
Parkland College
Champaign, Illinois

Parkland College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. This medium-sized school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 29 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Engineering at Parkland College

18

University of Southern Indiana ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Southern Indiana is located in Evansville, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full USI General Engineering Report

18
Rock Valley College crest
Rock Valley College
Rockford, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Rock Valley College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Rock Valley College is a medium-sized school located in Rockford, Illinois that handed out 28 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Engineering at Rock Valley College

20

With a ranking of #20, City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Wilbur Wright College General Engineering Report

21

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Ohio State General Engineering Report

22
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. PFW is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on General Engineering at Purdue University Fort Wayne

23
Oakton Community College crest
Oakton Community College
Des Plaines, Illinois

Oakton Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Oakton Community College is located in Des Plaines, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Engineering at Oakton Community College

24

Kalamazoo Valley Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #24. Kalamazoo Valley Community College is a medium-sized school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 23 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on General Engineering at Kalamazoo Valley Community College

25
Ivy Tech Community College crest
Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivy Tech Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Engineering Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school awarded 44 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Read more about General Engineering at Ivy Tech Community College

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