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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Engineering Science Associate’s Degree Schools

3 Colleges in the United States
$11,288 Avg Student Debt
$43,346 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Engineering Science Associate's Degree Badge [Engineering Science](/majors/engineering/engineering-science/) 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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering science students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Engineering Science Schools in the United States

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering science, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Engineering Science Schools

1

Middlesex County College tops our 2026 list of the best value engineering science schools in the United States. Middlesex County College is a large public school located in the suburb of Edison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,764, with out-of-state students paying around $7,356. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $9,514 in student loans. Early-career engineering science graduates make about $37,975. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

Hudson County Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering science, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Jersey City, Hudson County Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,384, with out-of-state students paying around $9,248. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $7,000 in student loans. Engineering Science graduates of Hudson County Community College earn a median of $35,909 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

3

Students looking for strong value in engineering science will find it at Mercer County Community College, which ranked #3. Mercer County Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of West Windsor. In-state tuition and fees average $5,310, with out-of-state students paying around $9,174. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. Early-career engineering science graduates make about $45,389. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

4

Raritan Valley Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering science schools. Located in the rural area of Branchburg, Raritan Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,664 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $7,584. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $9,668 in student loans. Early-career engineering science graduates make about $47,248. That is a strong return on a $9,668 median debt.

5

Houston Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering science schools. Set in the city of Houston, Houston Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,040 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,460. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $17,814 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering science degree recipients from Houston Community College generally make around $61,518. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

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6

Bristol Community College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering science schools. Located in the suburb of Fall River, Bristol Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,832, with out-of-state students paying around $10,776. Students borrow a median of $9,482 to complete the engineering science program here. Soon after graduation, engineering science degree recipients from Bristol Community College generally make around $37,897. Set against $9,482 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

7

County College Of Morris landed the #7 spot for engineering science value this year. Located in the suburb of Randolph, County College Of Morris is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,210 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,310 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,420 to complete the engineering science program here. Soon after graduation, engineering science degree recipients from County College Of Morris generally make around $30,966. That is a strong return on a $9,420 median debt.

8

Capital Community College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering science schools. Set in the city of New Britain, Capital Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,338, compared with $15,596 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,059 to complete the engineering science program here. Engineering Science graduates of Capital Community College earn a median of $43,086 early in their careers. Set against $12,059 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

9

Rockland Community College came in at #9 for value in engineering science this year. Rockland Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Suffern. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,862. Typical student debt for engineering science graduates is $11,167. Early-career engineering science graduates make about $41,799. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

10
Vincennes University crest
Vincennes University
Vincennes, IN

Vincennes University landed the #10 spot for engineering science value this year. Set in the town of Vincennes, Vincennes University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,126, with out-of-state students paying around $16,858. Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $14,506 in student loans. Engineering Science graduates of Vincennes University earn a median of $45,976 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,506 median debt.

Other Engineering Science Degree Levels

Explore the best-value engineering science schools at other degree levels:

All Degree Levels in Engineering Science
Bachelor's Degrees in Engineering Science
Master's Degrees in Engineering Science
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View All Engineering Science Rankings >

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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 · 100 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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