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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Materials Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

12 Ranked Colleges
450 Degrees Awarded
$8,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

General Materials Engineering is the 189th most popular major in the country with 3,485 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 781 general materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 450 general materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree in general materials engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general materials engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general materials engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 12 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Materials Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $1,866 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Northwestern University

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

U-M also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The low 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at U-M

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 50 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UW - Madison

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UIUC

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 64 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Purdue

#6 in overall quality

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Michigan Tech is a medium-sized school located in Houghton, Michigan that handed out 30 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan Tech also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,295 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan Tech.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 86%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Michigan Tech

#7 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 72 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $6,686 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State University.

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

Full Michigan State University General Materials Engineering Report

#10 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 16 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,222 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#9 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 15 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k list, Case Western has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Case Western.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Case Western

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dayton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Wright State University - Main Campus also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $13,460 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wright State University - Main Campus.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Wright State University - Main Campus

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,222 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois Institute of Technology.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Illinois Tech

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Panoramedia.

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