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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes Region

4 Colleges in the United States
$21,416 Avg Student Debt
$77,730 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Badge [Nuclear Engineering](/majors/engineering/nuclear-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value nuclear engineering schools.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Nuclear Engineering Schools in the Great Lakes 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
Purdue University Main Campus crest
Purdue University Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN

Leading the list is Purdue University Main Campus, our #1 best value for nuclear engineering in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Nuclear Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $63,226. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.

2

Students looking for strong value in nuclear engineering will find it at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #2. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Typical student debt for nuclear engineering graduates is $22,000. Early-career nuclear engineering graduates make about $112,747. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.

3

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Nuclear Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,350 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nuclear engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $81,134. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.

4

University Of Wisconsin Madison is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nuclear engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Students borrow a median of $21,813 to complete the nuclear engineering program here. Nuclear Engineering graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $59,877 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,813 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.

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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 · 7 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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