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2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

24 Ranked Colleges
2,820 Degrees Awarded
$18,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 24 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

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 Getting Aid.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering in the Plains States Region (With Aid)

#3 in overall quality

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 #1 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid. Missouri University of Science and Technology is located in Rolla, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 279 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri University of Science and Technology, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,262 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 429 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #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 $15,496 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

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 3.3% 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University

#3

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - St Louis. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid 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.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid list, UMSL has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $9,435 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

Full UMSL General Mechanical Engineering Report

#4

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. 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 Getting Aid. UMN 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 also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,740 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UMN Twin Cities

#6 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 Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 166 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Columbia is $16,001 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Mizzou

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, 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 Getting Aid 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.

UNL also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $17,208 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid 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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNL General Mechanical Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. North Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Fargo, North Dakota. 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. It costs about $16,584 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid 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

#8

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,267 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

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

#9

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#12 in overall quality

University of North Dakota landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

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. It costs about $15,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend UND.

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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UND

#18 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 39 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

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 $16,221 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Minnesota State University - Mankato

#11

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

University of Iowa ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 120 bachelors’s 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 estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $19,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of Iowa

#12

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. 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.

K -State also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $18,285 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full K -State General Mechanical Engineering Report

#10 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid 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. It costs about $17,067 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend University of Minnesota - 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#14

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#13 in overall quality

South Dakota 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 94 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 with aid list, South Dakota State has also earned the #13 rank 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 $19,252 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at South Dakota State

#15

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#23 in overall quality

Wichita State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wichita State University is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU also took the #23 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WSU is $14,382 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

Full Wichita State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#16

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#22 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMKC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,643 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Full UMKC General Mechanical Engineering Report

#17

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

Washington University in 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 104 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

WUSTL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Washington University in St Louis is $26,869 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

The 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. The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Washington University in St Louis General Mechanical Engineering Report

#16 in overall quality

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. SD Mines is a small public school situated in Rapid City, South Dakota. It awarded 99 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 with aid 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. The estimated yearly cost for SD Mines is $19,815 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

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

#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 Getting Aid list. University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 118 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

KU also took the #17 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,918 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid per year to attend University of Kansas.

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

#20

Dunwoody College of Technology

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Dunwoody College of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Dunwoody College of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 13 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Dunwoody College of Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $24,488 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid per year to attend Dunwoody College of Technology.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Dunwoody College of Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#21

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Sioux Center, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Dordt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dordt University is $25,102 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Dordt University

#22

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

Saint Louis University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

SLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SLU is $28,188 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Full SLU General Mechanical Engineering Report

#23

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Davenport, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Ambrose University is $26,204 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students with aid.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Saint Ambrose University

#24

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 102 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UST MN also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend University of St Thomas Minnesota is $29,155 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 87%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of St Thomas Minnesota

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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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