College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k

47 Ranked Colleges
7,287 Degrees Awarded
Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 46,178 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $69,007 and had an average of $23,944 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 7,287 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,682 and $21,000 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 47 colleges that offered 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the mechanical engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More ME Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 253 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

Stanford also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $7,081 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Mechanical Engineering at Stanford

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 259 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $8,393 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UW Seattle

3

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 320 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $13,423 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 252 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $12,644 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UCLA

5

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 274 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis also took the #8 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $14,193 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Davis

6

University of California - San Diego landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 379 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UCSD also took the #6 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $14,310 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UCSD

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 359 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $13,275 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UC Irvine

8

California State University - Los Angeles landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 173 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $5,700 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Cal State LA

9

With a ranking of #9, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 211 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $9,017 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fullerton

10

California State University - Northridge ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 234 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.

CSUN also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $10,780 for far western us region me 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%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Northridge

11
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ME degrees to 217 students in 2020-2021.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $22,826 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of Southern California

12

California State University - Long Beach landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 194 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSULB, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $11,189 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at CSULB

13
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ME degrees to 243 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k list, SDSU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,698 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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 Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University

14

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 93 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $14,583 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCSB.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Mechanical Engineering Report

15

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 247 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $15,958 for far western us region me 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

16

University of California - Riverside landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 144 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $11,126 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Mechanical Engineering at UCR

17

With a ranking of #17, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 321 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $17,340 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mechanical Engineering Report

18
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Pullman, Washington is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ME degrees to 319 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wazzu, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wazzu is $14,233 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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 Mechanical Engineering at Washington State University

19

California State University - Sacramento landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 229 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $12,602 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Mechanical Engineering Report

20

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 71 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $8,030 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Fresno State.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fresno

21

University of Nevada - Las Vegas ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Las Vegas, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ME degrees to 104 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Nevada - Las Vegas is $11,929 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UNLV

22

University of Nevada - Reno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. UNR is a large public school situated in Reno, Nevada. It awarded 166 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

UNR also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend University of Nevada - Reno is $15,106 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full University of Nevada - Reno Mechanical Engineering Report

23

University of Alaska Fairbanks ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UAF is a medium-sized public school situated in Fairbanks, Alaska. It awarded 28 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,587 for far western us region me students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Alaska Fairbanks

24
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 209 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $17,338 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University

25

University of Hawaii at Manoa came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Hawaii at Manoa is a public institution located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 90 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UH Manoa also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend University of Hawaii at Manoa is $15,183 for Far Western US Region ME students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UH Manoa

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Ocean Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ocean Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Forest Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Forest Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biochemical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Textile Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Textile Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Robotics Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Far Western US Region

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options