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2026 Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools in Alabama
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general materials engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Materials Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general materials engineering, no school beat University Of Alabama At Birmingham this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,098, with out-of-state students paying around $22,562. Students borrow a median of $26,162 to complete the general materials engineering program here. Early-career general materials engineering graduates make about $69,498. Set against $26,162 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Auburn University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general materials engineering schools. Set in the city of Auburn, Auburn University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,890 in tuition and fees, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. General Materials Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,803 in student loans. General Materials Engineering graduates of Auburn University earn a median of $55,422 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 46% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 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
[General Materials Engineering](/majors/engineering/materials-engineering/general-materials-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
