2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Ohio
[Electrical Engineering](/majors/engineering/ee-electrical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong electrical engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools to find the best return on investment for electrical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Ohio
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the electrical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Youngstown State University, our #1 best value for electrical engineering in Ohio. Set in the city of Youngstown, Youngstown State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,926, compared with $10,286 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Youngstown State University generally make around $74,799. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in electrical engineering will find it at University Of Akron Main Campus, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,135, with out-of-state students paying around $20,815. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $27,750. Electrical Engineering graduates of University Of Akron Main Campus earn a median of $77,622 early in their careers. Set against $27,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
University Of Toledo is a great value for students pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Toledo is a large public school located in the city of Toledo. In-state tuition and fees average $12,157, compared with $21,517 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $21,250. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $80,876. That is a strong return on a $21,250 median debt. University Of Toledo admits about 92% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ohio State University Main Campus earned it the #4 place for electrical engineering. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $22,411. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Ohio State University Main Campus generally make around $91,500. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Wright State University Main Campus came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Wright State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Dayton. In-state tuition and fees average $10,991, with out-of-state students paying around $20,691. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $23,250. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $79,582. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Cleveland State University landed the #6 spot for electrical engineering value this year. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,982, compared with $18,502 for out-of-state students. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Electrical Engineering graduates of Cleveland State University earn a median of $81,541 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Ohio University Main Campus earned the #7 position for value in electrical engineering this year. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. Students from in state pay about $14,158 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $24,978. Electrical Engineering graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $83,244 early in their careers. Set against $24,978 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. In-state tuition and fees average $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $80,045. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Cedarville University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Cedarville University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Cedarville. In-state tuition and fees average $37,150. Students borrow a median of $22,110 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Cedarville University generally make around $70,276. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio Northern University came in at #10 for value in electrical engineering this year. Ohio Northern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Ada. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,600. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $26,661. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $56,878. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio Northern University admits about 74% of applicants.
Miami University Oxford ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,519, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. Students borrow a median of $24,177 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Electrical Engineering graduates of Miami University Oxford earn a median of $49,700 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,177 median debt. The acceptance rate is 75%.
University Of Dayton earned the #12 position for value in electrical engineering this year. Located in the city of Dayton, University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,140. Students borrow a median of $26,625 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Electrical Engineering graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $87,094 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,625 median debt. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University placed #13 among the best values for electrical engineering. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $66,608 in tuition and fees. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,074 in student loans. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Case Western Reserve University generally make around $83,227. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 36%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 23 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
