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2023 Best Value Colleges for General Materials Engineering in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

14 Ranked Colleges
740 Degrees Awarded
$19,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 14 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.

More Ways to Rank General Materials Engineering Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 14 Best Value Colleges for General Materials Engineering in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

1
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 97 degrees to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,377 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Materials Engineering at Purdue

2

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 119 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,878 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid 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%.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 109 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

The low undergrad 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 94%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UIUC

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

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. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,234 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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 Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 112 degrees to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $16,845 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Ohio State

6
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $23,279 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Northwestern

7

With a ranking of #7, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Michigan Tech is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan Technological University is $15,384 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Michigan Technological University

8
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $19,058 for Great Lakes Region Materials Processing and Manufacturing students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Michigan State University General Materials Engineering Report

9

With a ranking of #9, 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 Getting Aid list. UC is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 14 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees in 2020-2021.

UC also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $22,415 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

10

Wright State University - Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s materials processing and manufacturing students in 2020-2021.

Wright State University - Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $15,962 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid.

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

11

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UWM also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,486 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at UWM

12

Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois Institute of Technology is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid list, Illinois Tech has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $23,772 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid per year to attend Illinois Tech.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, 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 87%.

Read full report on General Materials Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology

13
UDayton crest
University of Dayton
Dayton, Ohio

University of Dayton ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid 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.

UDayton also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $29,928 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid per year to attend UDayton.

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 more about General Materials Engineering at University of Dayton

14

Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Processing and Manufacturing Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s materials processing and manufacturing degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Case Western also made our “Best General Materials Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $34,214 for great lakes region materials processing and manufacturing students with aid per year to attend Case Western Reserve University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Read more about General Materials Engineering at Case Western

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