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

16 Ranked Colleges
284 Degrees Awarded
$25,000 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value ME Schools for a Master's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 47,598 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 20th most popular in the United States. 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 Plains States region, there were 3,206 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,126 and $23,280 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 284 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree in mechanical engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent mechanical engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank Mechanical Engineering Schools

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

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

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

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

Top 16 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington University in St Louis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 53 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, WUSTL has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at WUSTL are $56,562.

Full WUSTL Mechanical Engineering Report

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 ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Rolla, Missouri, and it awarded 24 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Missouri University of Science and Technology are $30,943.

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

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UMN Twin Cities

#12 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Duluth are $28,606.

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

#6 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Nebraska - Lincoln are $19,513.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UNL

#7 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also took the #7 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - Columbia are $27,193, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Mizzou

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Dakota State University - Main Campus are $11,589, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University

#8

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#9 in overall quality

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. University of North Dakota is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UND also took the #9 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UND are $18,326, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UND

#9

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

University of Iowa ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 5 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also took the #5 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Iowa are $27,613.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Iowa

#10

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #10, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. K -State is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at K -State are $24,115, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at K -State

#11

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#11 in overall quality

South Dakota State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 9 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at South Dakota State University are $16,743.

Full South Dakota State Mechanical Engineering Report

#12

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#13 in overall quality

Wichita State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wichita State University is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at WSU are $15,112.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Wichita State University

#13

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri
#14 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UMKC are $26,699.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UMKC

#14

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#10 in overall quality

University of Kansas ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at KU are $25,007, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full KU Mechanical Engineering Report

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, this small public school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SD Mines, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology are $19,250, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full SD Mines Mechanical Engineering Report

#16

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, UST MN has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UST MN are $24,814.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UST MN

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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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