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2026 Best Value Engineering Mechanics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering mechanics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Engineering Mechanics Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for engineering mechanics in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Engineering Mechanics graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Engineering Mechanics graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $57,461 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering mechanics schools. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Students from in state pay about $11,603 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,432 to complete the engineering mechanics program here. Early-career engineering mechanics graduates make about $72,612. That is a strong return on a $26,432 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Madison admits about 45% of applicants.
Narrow Engineering Mechanics Schools by State
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 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.
ADBLOCK #116
[Engineering Mechanics](/majors/engineering/engineering-mechanics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
