College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

59 Ranked Colleges
3,904 Degrees Awarded
$8,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 3,904 people earned their degree in systems engineering, making the major the 160th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, systems engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $89,736 and had an average of $21,799 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 59 colleges that offered a degree in systems engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great systems engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the systems 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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

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 Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

1
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 #1 on our 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. MIT is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 208 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

MIT did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $-2,603 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 285 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UF is $2,857 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Systems Engineering at University of Florida

3
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. WUSTL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 ’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

WUSTL also took the #3 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $2,446 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Washington University in St Louis

4
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Johns Hopkins University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 206 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Johns Hopkins is $4,859 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Johns Hopkins Systems Engineering Report

5
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. UPenn is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 ’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UPenn is $1,938 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Systems Engineering at University of Pennsylvania

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 89 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,670 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at U-M

7
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 93 degrees to qualified ’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

Cornell did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $5,133 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, 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 96%. 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.

Full Cornell Systems Engineering Report

8

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 77 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC also took the #11 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,036 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIUC Systems Engineering Report

9
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and it awarded 167 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Virginia also made our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $10,063 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at University of Virginia

10

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 10 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also took the #21 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. It costs about $4,788 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Systems Engineering Report

11

University of California - San Diego landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSD has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $11,176 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at UCSD

12

Arizona State University - Tempe came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tempe, Arizona, this large public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified ’s systems engineering students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Arizona State University - Tempe is $10,628 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at ASU - Tempe

13

With a ranking of #13, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 38 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Georgia Tech, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is $11,712 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech

14
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 73 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

University of Arizona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $10,160 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Systems Engineering at University of Arizona

15

Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 75 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Missouri University of Science and Technology not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. It costs about $9,820 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology.

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 Systems Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

16
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #16, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s systems engineering degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $8,839 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Systems Engineering at Oakland

17

With a ranking of #17, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 19 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,465 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UM Dearborn.

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 more about Systems Engineering at University of Michigan - Dearborn

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #18, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 ’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,349 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Florida State.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Florida State Systems Engineering Report

19
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s systems engineering degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, USC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $17,345 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full USC Systems Engineering Report

20
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Boston U is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 30 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boston U has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston U is $11,782 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at Boston University

21

With a ranking of #21, Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, and it awarded 28 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,736 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colorado State.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at Colorado State University - Fort Collins

22

Iowa State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Iowa State University is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $11,427 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State University.

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 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Systems Engineering at Iowa State

23
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. George Washington University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 122 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

GWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Systems Engineering Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend GWU is $14,889 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at GWU

24
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 84 ’s systems engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,376 for systems engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northeastern.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Northeastern University Systems Engineering Report

25

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Systems Engineering Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Maryland - College Park is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s systems engineering degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UMCP is $11,567 for Systems Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, 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%.

Read full report on Systems Engineering at University of Maryland - College Park

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $30-$48k)

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Marine Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Marine Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Ocean Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ocean Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Textile Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Textile Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (Income $30-$48k)

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Electromechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biochemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Civil Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $30-$48k)

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Forest Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Forest Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Surveying Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Surveying Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Robotics Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

Engineering Chemistry
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Chemistry (Income $30-$48k)

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $30-$48k)

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

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