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2026 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Maryland College Park the best value for a degree in general mechanical engineering in Maryland. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $76,485. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Johns Hopkins University earned it the #2 place for general mechanical engineering. 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. Students borrow a median of $10,750 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $114,588 early in their careers. Set against $10,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general mechanical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public school located in the suburb of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,256, while out-of-state students pay about $31,225. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $71,519. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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 Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/general-mechanical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general mechanical engineering education at a price that pays off.
