2026 Best Value Materials Engineering Schools in Pennsylvania
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the materials engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Materials Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus the best value for a degree in materials engineering in Pennsylvania. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,926, with out-of-state students paying around $41,430. Typical student debt for materials engineering graduates is $24,958. Early-career materials engineering graduates make about $56,926. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 58% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Pennsylvania came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value materials engineering schools. Set in the city of Philadelphia, University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,686. Students borrow a median of $16,155 to complete the materials engineering program here. Materials Engineering graduates of University Of Pennsylvania earn a median of $99,682 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,155 median debt. University Of Pennsylvania admits about 5% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in materials engineering will find it at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $20,644 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. Median earnings reach $63,435 ten years out. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
Drexel University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in materials engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. In-state tuition and fees average $62,412. Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, materials engineering degree recipients from Drexel University generally make around $82,063. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 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.
[Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong materials engineering education at a price that pays off.
