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2026 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in Montana
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 Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana the best value for a degree in general mechanical engineering in Montana. Set in the town of Butte, Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana is a small public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,289 in tuition and fees, compared with $26,094 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $25,750. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana earn a median of $73,901 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. Montana Tech Of The University Of Montana admits about 91% of applicants.
Montana State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, compared with $33,287 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general mechanical engineering graduates is $25,011. General Mechanical Engineering graduates of Montana State University earn a median of $68,469 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Montana State University admits about 82% of applicants.
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 · 2 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 Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/general-mechanical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
