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2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

60 Ranked Colleges
32,891 Degrees Awarded
$15,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 198,468 engineering students received their degree, making the major the 7th most popular in the country. 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 Great Lakes region, there were 32,891 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $69,005 and $24,728 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 60 colleges that offered a degree 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.

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 engineering program at the school. 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 Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

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 Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Akron Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Akron, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 575 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $17,945 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Read more about Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

2
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ferris State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Big Rapids, Michigan, and it awarded 37 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ferris, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $12,213 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Read more about Engineering at Ferris

3
UW - Stout crest
University of Wisconsin - Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 145 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Stout is $15,589 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Stout

4
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 60 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,177 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

Purdue also made our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $13,377 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

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 more about Engineering at Purdue

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 540 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $14,565 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Read full report on Engineering at UW - Platteville

6

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 299 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,462 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students per year to attend SIUE.

Read full report on Engineering at SIUE

7

With a ranking of #7, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 298 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $13,956 for great lakes region engineering students.

Full Northern Illinois University Engineering Report

8
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

With a ranking of #8, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 382 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $20,371 for great lakes region engineering students per year to attend WMU.

Read full report on Engineering at WMU

9

Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 248 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $12,225 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Full Youngstown State University Engineering Report

10
GVSU crest
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 174 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $17,356 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

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%.

Read full report on Engineering at GVSU

11

Purdue University Northwest came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Hammond, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 169 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue Northwest is $11,384 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Read full report on Engineering at Purdue University Northwest

12

With a ranking of #12, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Athens, Ohio, and it awarded 488 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend OHIO Athens is $23,831 for great lakes region engineering students.

Read more about Engineering at Ohio University - Athens Campus

13
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #13, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 535 students in 2020-2021.

Oakland also took the #18 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,449 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students per year to attend Oakland.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at Oakland University

13
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Central Michigan is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 107 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students per year to attend Central Michigan University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at Central Michigan

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Michigan - Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 651 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UM Dearborn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UM Dearborn is $12,855 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

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%.

Full UM Dearborn Engineering Report

16

With a ranking of #16, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 1,148 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UC is $22,415 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Engineering at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

17

University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 1,573 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,234 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

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 Engineering at UW - Madison

18
University of Toledo crest
University of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio

University of Toledo came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Toledo, Ohio, and it awarded 644 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Toledo is $17,312 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Full University of Toledo Engineering Report

19

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 192 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,285 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Engineering Report

20

With a ranking of #20, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. BGSU is a public institution located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 128 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $18,558 for great lakes region engineering students.

Full BGSU Engineering Report

21

With a ranking of #21, Wright State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 394 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Main Campus is $15,962 for great lakes region engineering students.

Read full report on Engineering at Wright State University - Main Campus

22
Lake Superior State University crest
Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan

Lake Superior State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Sault Ste Marie, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Lake Superior State University is $13,668 for great lakes region engineering students.

Read full report on Engineering at Lake Superior State University

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 2,695 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $14,321 for Great Lakes Region Engineering students.

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 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%.

Full UIUC Engineering Report

24

Cleveland State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 400 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State University is $16,943 for great lakes region engineering students.

Read full report on Engineering at Cleveland State University

25

Michigan Technological University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 1,047 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,384 for great lakes region engineering students per year to attend Michigan Tech.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at Michigan Technological University

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General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

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Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics in the Great Lakes Region

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Marine Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Marine Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research in the Great Lakes Region

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Robotics Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics in the Great Lakes Region

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science in the Great Lakes Region

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Surveying Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Surveying Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

Engineering Chemistry
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Chemistry in the Great Lakes Region

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. in the Great Lakes Region

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

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Notes and References

References

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