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2026 Best Value General Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

[General Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/general-nuclear-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general nuclear engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

2026 Best Value General Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general nuclear engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value General Nuclear Engineering Schools

1

University Of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

$15,377 In-State Tuition & Fees

$14,238 Avg Student Debt

$92,446 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of California Berkeley earned the #1 spot for value among general nuclear engineering schools in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general nuclear engineering graduates is $14,238. Early-career general nuclear engineering graduates make about $70,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.

2

Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR

$14,400 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$64,010 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Oregon State University one of the best values for general nuclear engineering. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general nuclear engineering program here. Early-career general nuclear engineering graduates make about $69,657. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.

View All General Nuclear Engineering Rankings >

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 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.