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2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

14 Ranked Colleges
740 Degrees Awarded
$11,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 3,415 people earned their degree in general materials engineering, making the major the 199th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 740 general materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general materials engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general materials engineering programs, but they also 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.

More Ways to Rank General Materials Engineering Schools

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The materials processing and manufacturing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 14 Best Value Colleges for General Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 82 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $917 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Northwestern University General Materials Engineering Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 119 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,670 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, 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 96%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor General Materials Engineering Report

3
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 97 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k list, Purdue has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,853 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Purdue

4

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $4,788 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 95%.

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

5

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 #5 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 109 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

6

With a ranking of #6, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 112 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $8,581 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, 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

7

Michigan Technological University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Michigan Technological University is a medium-sized school located in Houghton, Michigan that handed out 36 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan Tech, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,983 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Michigan Technological University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Technological University General Materials Engineering Report

8
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #8, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 28 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k list, Michigan State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $15,170 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Michigan State University

9

Case Western Reserve University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

Case Western also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Case Western Reserve University is $15,570 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Case Western Reserve University General Materials Engineering Report

10

Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k list, Illinois Tech has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Tech is $21,101 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate 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. 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 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois Tech General Materials Engineering Report

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

UC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UC is $15,966 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at UC

12

Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 17 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

Wright State University - Main Campus also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $13,747 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

13
UDayton crest
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio

With a ranking of #13, University of Dayton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UDayton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dayton, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k list, UDayton has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UDayton is $20,992 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UDayton

14

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 11 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

UWM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,351 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee General Materials Engineering Report

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