[Engineering-Related Fields](/majors/engineering-technologies/engineering-related-fields/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering-related fields students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering-related fields, balancing cost against outcomes.
Leading the list is Louisiana Tech University, our #1 best value for engineering-related fields in Louisiana. Set in the town of Ruston, Louisiana Tech University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,125, with out-of-state students paying around $16,866. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $23,846 in student loans. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Louisiana Tech University earn a median of $88,255 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,846 median debt. Louisiana Tech University admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Louisiana Lafayette one of the best values for engineering-related fields. Set in the city of Lafayette, University Of Louisiana Lafayette is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,418, compared with $24,146 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,373 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of University Of Louisiana Lafayette earn a median of $42,873 early in their careers. Set against $24,373 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Louisiana Lafayette admits about 87% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 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.
