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2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

22 Ranked Colleges
2,950 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools 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. 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 in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 46,178 people earned their degree in general mechanical engineering, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,950 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 22 colleges that offered a degree in general mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general mechanical 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 general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 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 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 in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 22 Best Value Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 156 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, WUSTL has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $8,149 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WUSTL.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 285 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $12,911 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 272 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri University of Science and Technology is $11,656 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Mizzou is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 168 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $13,715 for plains states region 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 undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Mizzou

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 451 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,641 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Iowa State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Iowa State University

6

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 121 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $13,364 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

7

North Dakota State University - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 170 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,071 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University

8

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 151 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNL, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,394 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

9
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 112 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UND is $15,818 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UND

10
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 121 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Iowa has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $18,026 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Iowa

11
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Manhattan, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 182 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at K -State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,868 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend K -State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at K -State

12

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 27 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMSL has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,291 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Missouri - St Louis.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis General Mechanical Engineering Report

13
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. KU is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 140 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $18,586 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Kansas

14

Wichita State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Wichita, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 102 students in 2020-2021.

WSU also took the #18 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $14,581 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full WSU General Mechanical Engineering Report

15

University of Missouri - Kansas City came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school awarded 79 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMKC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $15,768 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 University of Missouri - Kansas City

16
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 36 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,140 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend St. Cloud State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at St. Cloud State University

17
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 80 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, South Dakota State has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $18,826 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

18

With a ranking of #18, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 31 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $14,995 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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 Minnesota State University - Mankato General Mechanical Engineering Report

19

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 64 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SD Mines not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $19,754 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SD Mines.

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 General Mechanical Engineering at SD Mines

20

University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 105 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $28,771 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of St Thomas Minnesota.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 UST MN

21
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. SLU is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 22 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SLU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,225 for Plains States Region General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SLU.

The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Saint Louis University General Mechanical Engineering Report

22
Dordt crest
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dordt is a small school located in Sioux Center, Iowa that handed out 23 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Dordt also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $23,412 for plains states region general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Dordt University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Dordt University

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