2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[General Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/general-environmental-engineering/) 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 32 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general environmental engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general environmental engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools
Purdue University Main Campus tops our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools in the Great Lakes Region. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,316 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $71,861. Set against $16,316 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,028 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $57,824. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor admits about 16% of applicants.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. General Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $57,461 early in their careers. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Wisconsin Platteville one of the best values for general environmental engineering. Located in the town of Platteville, University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,644, compared with $17,603 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,457 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $69,490. That is a strong return on a $20,457 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Michigan Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general environmental engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $20,532 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $44,807. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $26,545. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $64,453. That is a strong return on a $26,545 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
University Of Wisconsin Madison landed the #6 spot for general environmental engineering value this year. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $21,813. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $59,877. Set against $21,813 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
University Of Toledo earned the #7 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. University Of Toledo is a large public school located in the city of Toledo. In-state tuition and fees average $12,157, with out-of-state students paying around $21,517. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,923 in student loans. General Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of Toledo earn a median of $52,675 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,923 median debt. University Of Toledo admits about 92% of applicants.
Ohio State University Main Campus ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools. Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $24,850. General Environmental Engineering graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $67,938 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus landed the #9 spot for general environmental engineering value this year. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,363 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $58,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Northwestern University earned the #10 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. In-state tuition and fees average $68,322. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $16,616. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $78,551. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
University Of Notre Dame placed #11 among the best values for general environmental engineering. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,025. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from University Of Notre Dame generally make around $64,675. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Notre Dame admits about 11% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 32 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
