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2023 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

25 Ranked Colleges
11,973 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Engineering is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 7th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 198,468 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,653 and had an average of $23,855 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 11,973 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,381 and $24,851 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

1
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 658 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $8,149 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WUSTL.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at WUSTL

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,312 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,911 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 1,478 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $11,656 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Engineering Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 1,913 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also took the #3 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $14,641 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Engineering at Iowa State University

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 511 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $13,715 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at University of Missouri - Columbia

6

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 670 students in 2020-2021.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNL is $15,394 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Engineering at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

7

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UMN Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 309 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $13,364 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Duluth Engineering Report

8

North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 450 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

North Dakota State University also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University is $16,071 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Full North Dakota State University Engineering Report

9
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. University of North Dakota is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 307 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,818 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UND.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at University of North Dakota

10
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Missouri - St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $11,291 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Missouri - St Louis

11
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #11, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. K -State is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 579 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,868 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend K -State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, 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 87%.

Full K -State Engineering Report

12
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

With a ranking of #12, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 577 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Iowa has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Iowa is $18,026 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Engineering at University of Iowa

13
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

With a ranking of #13, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school awarded 498 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,586 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend KU.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Engineering at University of Kansas

14

University of Missouri - Kansas City came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UMKC is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 205 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $15,768 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at UMKC

15
WSU crest
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wichita State University is a fairly large school located in Wichita, Kansas that handed out 471 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WSU, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $14,581 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full WSU Engineering Report

16
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. St. Cloud State University is a public institution located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 130 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University also took the #23 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,140 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at Saint Cloud State University

17
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Winona State University is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,289 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Winona State University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full Winona State University Engineering Report

18

With a ranking of #18, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school handed out 147 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $14,995 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Engineering at Minnesota State University - Mankato

19
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 179 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $18,826 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State Engineering Report

20

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is located in Rapid City, South Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 377 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

SD Mines not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is $19,754 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Engineering Report

21
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and it awarded 32 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCM, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCM is $14,267 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Engineering at University of Central Missouri

22
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 206 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SLU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SLU is $19,225 for plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full SLU Engineering Report

23
UST MN crest
University of St Thomas Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 210 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UST MN has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UST MN is $28,771 for plains states region engineering 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Engineering at University of St Thomas Minnesota

24
Dordt crest
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Sioux Center, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.

Dordt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Dordt University is $23,412 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Dordt University Engineering Report

25
Dunwoody College of Technology crest
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Dunwoody College of Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Dunwoody College of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Dunwoody College of Technology did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dunwoody College of Technology is $25,839 for Plains States Region Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Engineering at Dunwoody College of Technology

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