2026 Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
[Polymer & Plastics Engineering](/majors/engineering/polymer-and-plastics-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong polymer & plastics engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for polymer & plastics engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the polymer & plastics engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Polymer & Plastics Engineering Schools
For return on investment in polymer & plastics engineering, no school beat Pennsylvania State University Penn State Erie Behrend College this year. Pennsylvania State University Penn State Erie Behrend College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Erie. In-state tuition and fees average $15,972, compared with $26,958 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. Pennsylvania State University Penn State Erie Behrend College admits about 97% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pennsylvania College Of Technology earned it the #2 place for polymer & plastics engineering. Pennsylvania College Of Technology is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Williamsport. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,940, compared with $25,680 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for polymer & plastics engineering graduates is $27,875. Early-career polymer & plastics engineering graduates make about $71,651. Set against $27,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Lehigh University one of the best values for polymer & plastics engineering. Set in the city of Bethlehem, Lehigh University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,980. Typical student debt for polymer & plastics engineering graduates is $23,008. Polymer & Plastics Engineering graduates of Lehigh University earn a median of $70,321 early in their careers. Set against $23,008 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 26%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
