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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

36 Ranked Colleges
1,512 Degrees Awarded
$29,200 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value ME Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Mechanical Engineering is the 20th most popular major in the country with 47,598 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $64,495 and had an average of $23,104 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 8,300 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $68,192 and $24,168 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,512 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 36 colleges that offer a degree in mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality 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 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.

More Ways to Rank Mechanical Engineering Schools

The me school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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

Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Northwestern University

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 150 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also took the #1 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 57 degrees to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 70 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UIUC

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 121 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794.

Full Purdue Mechanical Engineering Report

With a ranking of #6, Michigan Technological University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan Tech has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan Tech are $21,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University

#7

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Notre Dame are $57,522, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Notre Dame

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Ohio State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#14 in overall quality

Michigan State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State University is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 13 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State are $37,056, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Michigan State University Mechanical Engineering Report

#10

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Purdue Northwest is a public institution located in Hammond, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 28 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University Northwest are $11,633, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Purdue Northwest

#11

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.

Oakland did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Oakland University are $24,648, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Oakland

With a ranking of #12, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized public school situated in Dearborn, Michigan. It awarded 77 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UM Dearborn are $25,072, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UM Dearborn

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 80 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IUPUI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis are $26,013, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at IUPUI

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school awarded 59 degrees to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Chicago are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UIC Mechanical Engineering Report

University of Michigan - Flint came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Michigan - Flint is a medium-sized public school situated in Flint, Michigan. It awarded 6 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UM Flint are $18,202, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UM Flint

#16

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school awarded 70 degrees to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

Wayne State also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State are $37,215.

Full Wayne State University Mechanical Engineering Report

With a ranking of #17, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

SIUE also took the #0 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300.

Full SIUE Mechanical Engineering Report

#18

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 18 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Illinois University are $11,086, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full NIU Mechanical Engineering Report

#7 in overall quality

Case Western Reserve University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Case Western, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Case Western are $47,958.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University

#20

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

Western Michigan University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

WMU also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at WMU are $31,355, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at WMU

#21

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

With a ranking of #21, Youngstown State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Youngstown State University are $9,495, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Youngstown State University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at SIUC

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 95 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus are $26,644.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

#24

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio
#25 in overall quality

University of Toledo came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Toledo, Ohio, and it awarded 18 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Toledo has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Toledo are $27,067.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Toledo

#25

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 11 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Bradley University are $17,040.

Full Bradley 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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