2026 Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in manufacturing engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Manufacturing Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Wichita State University the best value for a degree in manufacturing engineering in the The Plains States Region. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, compared with $19,869 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,262 to complete the manufacturing engineering program here. Early-career manufacturing engineering graduates make about $49,278. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Dunwoody College Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in manufacturing engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Dunwoody College Of Technology is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,477. Typical student debt for manufacturing engineering graduates is $34,996. Manufacturing Engineering graduates of Dunwoody College Of Technology earn a median of $77,857 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $34,996 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
University Of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value manufacturing engineering schools. Set in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,398. Typical student debt for manufacturing engineering graduates is $23,923. Early-career manufacturing engineering graduates make about $65,183. That is a strong return on a $23,923 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Narrow Manufacturing Engineering Schools by State
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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Manufacturing Engineering](/majors/engineering/manufacturing-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
