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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

24 Ranked Colleges
2,820 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 12th most popular major in the country with 47,598 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

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 $48-$75k” ranking looked at 24 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

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 $48-$75k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Washington University in St Louis is $11,832 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at WUSTL

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 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. It costs about $13,058 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#4 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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 205 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $12,556 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State University is $14,161 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 166 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Mizzou has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Mizzou.

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 low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 University of Missouri - Columbia General Mechanical Engineering Report

#10 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #6 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 $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 125 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 $48-$75k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $12,438 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Full UMN Duluth General Mechanical Engineering Report

#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 $48-$75k list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 147 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNL, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,197 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNL.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UNL

#8

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#20 in overall quality

Saint Cloud State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Saint 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Cloud State University, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $13,373 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full St. Cloud State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 140 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 $48-$75k list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,686 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

#10

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#12 in overall quality

University of North Dakota landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UND, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UND is $15,109 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota General Mechanical Engineering Report

#11

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

UMSL also took the #24 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - St Louis is $7,894 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Missouri - St Louis

#12

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

Kansas State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Manhattan, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 216 students in 2019-2020.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $16,889 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at K -State

#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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,451 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Minnesota State Mankato.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Minnesota State University - Mankato

#14

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 120 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend University of Iowa is $18,272 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Iowa

#15

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#23 in overall quality

Wichita 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 $48-$75k list. Wichita State University is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 96 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 $48-$75k list, WSU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $14,386 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at WSU

#16

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 52 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

UMKC also took the #22 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 - Kansas City is $14,571 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UMKC General Mechanical Engineering Report

#17

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#13 in overall quality

South Dakota State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 94 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $19,326 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#18

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#17 in overall quality

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 118 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend KU is $17,132 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full University of Kansas General Mechanical Engineering Report

#19

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

Saint Louis University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SLU also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend SLU is $23,734 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SLU General Mechanical Engineering Report

#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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. SD Mines is located in Rapid City, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 99 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 $48-$75k list, SD Mines has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $20,299 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

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 SD Mines General Mechanical Engineering Report

#21

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#19 in overall quality

Dordt University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Sioux Center, Iowa, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Dordt also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Dordt is $22,821 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Dordt General Mechanical Engineering Report

#22

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

Dunwoody College of Technology 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 $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Dunwoody College of Technology also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Dunwoody College of Technology is $24,772 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Dunwoody College of Technology

#23

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota 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 $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 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. It costs about $26,172 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UST MN.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of St Thomas Minnesota

#24

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#21 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose 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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Saint Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Davenport, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s 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 $27,002 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full St. Ambrose University 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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