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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2026 Best General Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

4 Colleges in the United States
195 General Nuclear Engineering Degrees Awarded
$79,246 Avg Early-Career Salary

General Nuclear Engineering degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools to find the best for general nuclear engineering students.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for General Nuclear Engineering in the Great Lakes Region

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the general nuclear engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in General Nuclear Engineering

1

No school ranked higher than University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year for general nuclear engineering. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign awarded about 56 general nuclear engineering degrees in the most recent data year. General Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $81,134 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,350. See the full general nuclear engineering program report for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

2

University Of Michigan Ann Arbor came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best general nuclear engineering schools. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor graduates 93% of students within six years. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor awarded about 58 general nuclear engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general nuclear engineering degree from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn around $112,747 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in general nuclear engineering from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor

3

University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best general nuclear engineering schools. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. Roughly 90% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 29 general nuclear engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of Wisconsin Madison in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general nuclear engineering degree from University Of Wisconsin Madison earn around $59,877 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,813 to complete this degree. Read more about the general nuclear engineering program at University Of Wisconsin Madison

4
Purdue University Main Campus crest
Purdue University Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN

A rank of #4 makes Purdue University Main Campus one of the top schools for general nuclear engineering. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. About 83% of students finish within six years. About 52 general nuclear engineering degrees were awarded at Purdue University Main Campus in the most recent year. Students who receive their general nuclear engineering degree from Purdue University Main Campus earn around $63,226 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,500. Read more about the general nuclear engineering program at Purdue University Main Campus

Narrow General Nuclear Engineering Schools by State

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View All General Nuclear Engineering Rankings >

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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