2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 33 schools to find the best return on investment for general environmental engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general environmental engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Johns Hopkins University the best value for a degree in general environmental engineering in the Middle Atlantic Region. Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. In-state tuition and fees average $64,730. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $13,426. General Environmental Engineering graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $86,557 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny City College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general environmental engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,340, with out-of-state students paying around $15,290. Students borrow a median of $13,389 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $62,945. Set against $13,389 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Delaware one of the best values for general environmental engineering. Set in the suburb of Newark, University Of Delaware is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,810, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,950 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $65,634. Set against $26,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earned it the #4 place for general environmental engineering. Set in the town of Indiana, Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,380 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $16,297. Students borrow a median of $26,513 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. General Environmental Engineering graduates of Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus earn a median of $42,972 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,513 median debt. Indiana University Of Pennsylvania Main Campus admits about 91% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general environmental engineering will find it at Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, which ranked #5. Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Syracuse. In-state tuition and fees average $9,303, compared with $22,263 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,763 ten years after entry. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia University In The City Of New York earned the #6 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $23,258. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York generally make around $86,770. Set against $23,258 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
University At Buffalo ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,936, with out-of-state students paying around $31,536. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $57,098. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Manhattan College placed #8 among the best values for general environmental engineering. Located in the city of Riverdale, Manhattan College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $53,400. Students borrow a median of $25,968 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from Manhattan College generally make around $61,065. That is a strong return on a $25,968 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus came in at #9 for value in general environmental engineering this year. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Pittsburgh. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,926, while out-of-state students pay about $41,430. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $24,958. General Environmental Engineering graduates of University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus earn a median of $56,926 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 58%.
Carnegie Mellon University earned the #10 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. Carnegie Mellon University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,636. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,529 in student loans. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $89,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Cornell University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,314. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,102 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $69,558. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cornell University admits about 9% of applicants.
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus came in at #12 for value in general environmental engineering this year. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. In-state tuition and fees average $20,644, compared with $41,790 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,435 ten years after entry. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Clarkson University landed the #13 spot for general environmental engineering value this year. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,398. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $67,308. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Clarkson University admits about 77% of applicants.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute placed #14 among the best values for general environmental engineering. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Troy. Students from in state pay about $64,078 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,975 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $77,378. Set against $24,975 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits about 64% of applicants.
Drexel University landed the #15 spot for general environmental engineering value this year. Located in the city of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $62,412 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $30,983. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $64,712. That is a strong return on a $30,983 median debt. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Bucknell University earned the #16 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. Bucknell University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lewisburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,812. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $25,951. General Environmental Engineering graduates of Bucknell University earn a median of $64,331 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
Syracuse University earned the #17 position for value in general environmental engineering this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,528. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $26,130. General Environmental Engineering graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $49,297 early in their careers. Set against $26,130 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Syracuse University admits about 46% 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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.
