College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (With Aid)

22 Ranked Colleges
864 Degrees Awarded
$17,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 864 people earned their degree in nuclear engineering, making the major the 253rd most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, nuclear engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $59,111 and had an average of $22,196 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in nuclear engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality nuclear engineering programs that also have a lower cost than 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 nuclear 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 Nuclear Engineering 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 Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for nuclear engineering students with aid.

Top 22 Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (With Aid)

1
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,135 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid per year to attend UF.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UF

2
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. MIT is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 22 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

MIT also took the #1 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MIT is $16,407 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full MIT Nuclear Engineering Report

3
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $13,377 for nuclear engineering students with aid per year to attend Purdue.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University - Main Campus

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $14,321 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

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

Full UIUC Nuclear Engineering Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 32 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Georgia Tech also took the #4 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $14,974 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

6

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 39 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also took the #5 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $17,234 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, 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 95%.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at UW - Madison

7
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #7, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. North Carolina State University is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 40 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina State University is $16,411 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full North Carolina State University Nuclear Engineering Report

8

University of California - Berkeley came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $16,032 for nuclear engineering students with aid per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of California - Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Report

9

Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Located in College Station, Texas, this large public school awarded 101 degrees to qualified ’s nuclear engineering students in 2020-2021.

Texas A&M College Station also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $18,919 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid per year to attend Texas A&M University - College Station.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Nuclear Engineering Report

10

With a ranking of #10, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 75 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #7 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $14,878 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at U-M

11

With a ranking of #11, Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $12,964 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

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

12
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Virginia Tech is $21,301 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Tech

13
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah

University of Utah came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our nuclear engineering students with aid list, U of U has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,572 for nuclear engineering students with aid per year to attend U of U.

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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at U of U

14

University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. UNM is a public institution located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The school has a large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNM also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend UNM is $14,424 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

Full UNM Nuclear Engineering Report

15
U of I crest
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho

University of Idaho landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. U of I is a fairly large public school situated in Moscow, Idaho. It awarded 10 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

U of I also took the #19 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Idaho is $13,964 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Idaho Nuclear Engineering Report

16

With a ranking of #16, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 9 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State also took the #16 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $16,845 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

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

17

The University of Tennessee - Knoxville came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Knoxville, Tennessee, and it awarded 67 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UT Knoxville did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Tennessee - Knoxville is $18,579 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Nuclear Engineering Report

18
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #18, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid list. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s nuclear engineering degrees to qualified students.

K -State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kansas State University is $18,433 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Nuclear Engineering at Kansas State University

19
ISU crest
Idaho State University
Pocatello, Idaho

Idaho State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. ISU is a fairly large public school situated in Pocatello, Idaho. It awarded 15 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

ISU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Idaho State University is $17,410 for nuclear engineering students with aid.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Idaho State University

20
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. Corvallis, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s nuclear engineering degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

Oregon State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $21,508 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid per year to attend Oregon State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Nuclear Engineering at Oregon State

21
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Colorado School of Mines is a medium-sized school located in Golden, Colorado that handed out 7 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Mines not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Colorado School of Mines is $27,114 for Nuclear Engineering students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Nuclear Engineering at Mines

22

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools For Those Getting Aid ranking. RPI is a medium-sized school located in Troy, New York that handed out 23 ’s nuclear engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

RPI also made our “Best Nuclear Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $33,937 for nuclear engineering students with aid per year to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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 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%.

Full Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Nuclear Engineering Report

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (With Aid)

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (With Aid)

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (With Aid)

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (With Aid)

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (With Aid)

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (With Aid)

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (With Aid)

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (With Aid)

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (With Aid)

Marine Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Marine Engineering (With Aid)

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (With Aid)

Textile Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Textile Engineering (With Aid)

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (With Aid)

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (With Aid)

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (With Aid)

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (With Aid)

Electromechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering (With Aid)

Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biochemical Engineering (With Aid)

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (With Aid)

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering (With Aid)

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (With Aid)

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (With Aid)

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (With Aid)

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (With Aid)

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (With Aid)

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (With Aid)

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (With Aid)

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (With Aid)

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (With Aid)

Ocean Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ocean Engineering (With Aid)

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (With Aid)

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering (With Aid)

Forest Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Forest Engineering (With Aid)

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (With Aid)

Surveying Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Surveying Engineering (With Aid)

Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering (With Aid)

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Robotics Engineering (With Aid)

Engineering Chemistry
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Chemistry (With Aid)

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (With Aid)

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (With Aid)

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