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2023 Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

6 Ranked Colleges
157 Degrees Awarded
$9,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Materials Engineering is the 154th most popular major in the country with 3,415 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, materials engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,007 and had an average of $23,030 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 157 materials engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,541 and $24,224 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 6 colleges that offer a degree in materials engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality materials engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the materials engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Materials Engineering Schools

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The materials engineering 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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. 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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 6 Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

1
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s materials engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region materials engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, WUSTL has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $1,556 for Plains States Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Materials Engineering at Washington University in St Louis

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 59 ’s materials engineering degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $7,698 for plains states region materials engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 more about Materials Engineering at UMN Twin Cities

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Iowa State University is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 42 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $9,766 for Plains States Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Materials Engineering at Iowa State

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also took the #4 spot in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,356 for plains states region materials engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Materials Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

5
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Out of the 6 schools in the Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Winona State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Winona State is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 20 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region materials engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Winona State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $11,721 for plains states region materials engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State Materials Engineering Report

6

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 7 ’s materials engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SD Mines did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Materials Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,705 for Plains States Region Materials Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Materials Engineering at SD Mines

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