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2026 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in North Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is North Dakota State University Main Campus, our #1 best value for general mechanical engineering in North Dakota. Located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota State University Main Campus is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,910, compared with $15,564 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general mechanical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from North Dakota State University Main Campus generally make around $72,158. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in general mechanical engineering will find it at University Of North Dakota, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,951, while out-of-state students pay about $15,570. General Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general mechanical engineering graduates make about $73,603. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Dakota admits about 77% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/general-mechanical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general mechanical engineering education at a price that pays off.
