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# Best General Engineering Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-the-midwest/)

Regional list from [Top General Engineering Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-general-engineering-programs/)

This page ranks the 8 General Engineering programs in the Midwest by median earnings of General Engineering graduates four years after completing. [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, reporting $102,301 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the 5 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $102,301 to $82,326, with a median of $82,632.

The list includes 5 public and 3 private institutions. [Indiana University-Indianapolis](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/majors/) posts the lowest average net price at $11,668, while Michigan State University ranks 69th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Minnesota State University-Mankato has the highest admission rate, admitting 88% of applicants.

## The ranked list

8 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $102,301 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
|  | [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) ranks 1st on this list, with [median earnings of $102,301](/school/michigan-state-university/outcomes/) for its General Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 2 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | No published median | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
|  | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 61% of applicants](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/admissions/) and carries an average net price of $17,339. |
| 3 | Indiana University-Indianapolis · Indianapolis, IN | No published median | $11,668 | $5,701 | 76.4% |
|  | [Indiana University-Indianapolis](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/majors/) posts an [average net price of $11,668,](/school/indiana-university-indianapolis/cost/) the lowest on the page, and its General Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $25,492 in federal loans. |
| 4 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | No published median | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
|  | [Purdue University-Main Campus](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 50% of applicants](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/admissions/), the most selective admission rate on the list, and reports an average net price of $14,600. |
| 5 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $82,903 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% |
|  | [Minnesota State University-Mankato](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/majors/) reports [$82,903 in median earnings](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/outcomes/) for its General Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $13,936 among General Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 6 | Olivet Nazarene University · Bourbonnais, IL | $82,632 | $20,729 | $17,232 | 55.9% |
|  | [Olivet Nazarene University](/school/olivet-nazarene-university/majors/) posts [median earnings of $82,632](/school/olivet-nazarene-university/outcomes/) for its General Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $20,729. |
| 7 | Hope College · Holland, MI | $82,513 | $27,182 | $17,606 | 79.2% |
|  | [Hope College](/school/hope-college/majors/) carries an [average net price of $27,182,](/school/hope-college/cost/) and shows a median federal debt of $27,000 among General Engineering completers who borrowed. |
| 8 | Calvin University · Grand Rapids, MI | $82,326 | $22,992 | $19,281 | 70.9% |
|  | [Calvin University](/school/calvin-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $82,326](/school/calvin-university/outcomes/) for its General Engineering graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $19,281 for families earning under $30,000. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their General Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 5 schools with a published figure. The spread from Michigan State University to the lowest listed program is $19,975.

## Job market context in the Midwest

Graduates of General Engineering programs in the Midwest enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Engineers, All Other and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. The median annual wage across those occupations is $114,894, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $86,957. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 3.2% higher, with 5,130 projected openings a year, or about 810 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of General Engineering graduates four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations and are not the same measure.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Engineering Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-the-midwest/)