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2026 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

[Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong nuclear engineering education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value nuclear engineering schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

2026 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Far Western Region

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

Best Value 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)

Leading the list is University Of California Berkeley, our #1 best value for nuclear engineering in the Far Western Region. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $14,238. Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.

2

Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR

$14,400 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$64,010 Median Earnings (10yr)

Oregon State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,190 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $27,000. Nuclear Engineering graduates of Oregon State University earn a median of $69,657 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.

View All Nuclear Engineering Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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.