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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

24 Ranked Colleges
2,820 Degrees Awarded
$13,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 47,598 people earned their degree in general mechanical engineering, making the major the 12th most popular in the United States.

Across the Plains States region, there were 3,206 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,820 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in general mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general mechanical engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank General Mechanical Engineering Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $5,273 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WUSTL.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 94%. The 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 Mechanical Engineering at Washington University in St Louis

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized school located in Rolla, Missouri that handed out 279 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,755 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 205 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 429 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $10,054 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State

#10 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #5 spot on the list. UMN Duluth is a fairly large public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 125 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,443 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Duluth.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#6 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 166 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Columbia is $10,940 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Missouri - Columbia

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, this large public school awarded 147 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNL has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $12,216 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

#9 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 140 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $11,524 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University

#9

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#12 in overall quality

University of North Dakota came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Grand Forks, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 104 students in 2019-2020.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $11,092 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UND

#10

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#20 in overall quality

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 42 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,688 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Saint Cloud State University

#11

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

Kansas State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 216 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, K -State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $14,232 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Kansas State University

#18 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. This fairly large school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $11,057 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato General Mechanical Engineering Report

#13

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. University of Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 120 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,975 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Iowa General Mechanical Engineering Report

#14

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMSL, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMSL is $7,401 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UMSL General Mechanical Engineering Report

#15

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#13 in overall quality

South Dakota State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 94 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $15,285 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#16

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#23 in overall quality

Wichita State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wichita State University is $11,642 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at WSU

#17

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#22 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. UMKC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 52 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $12,065 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Missouri - Kansas City

#18

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

Saint Louis University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Louis University is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

SLU also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis University is $20,051 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University

#19

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school handed out 118 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

KU also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend University of Kansas is $14,387 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at KU

#16 in overall quality

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. This small school is located in Rapid City, South Dakota, and it awarded 99 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

SD Mines did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,464 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SD Mines.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota School of Mines and Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#21

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#19 in overall quality

Dordt University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Dordt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux Center, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dordt also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dordt University is $24,967 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at Dordt University

#22

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#21 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Ambrose University is a small school located in Davenport, Iowa that handed out 25 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend St. Ambrose University is $23,977 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Saint Ambrose University

#23

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Dunwoody College of Technology came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Dunwoody College of Technology is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dunwoody College of Technology, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dunwoody College of Technology is $21,534 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Dunwoody College of Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#24

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 102 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of St Thomas Minnesota is $27,460 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UST MN General Mechanical Engineering Report

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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.

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