Best Manufacturing Engineering Programs in the Midwest
Updated
Part of Best Engineering Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Manufacturing Engineering Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 7 Manufacturing Engineering programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing. Northwestern University ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $97,819 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $97,819 to $65,387, with a median of $87,431. For 2 of the 7 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
5 of the schools are public and 2 are private nonprofit. Northwestern University ranks 85th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and Ferris State University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $8,624.
North Dakota State University-Main Campus has the highest admission rate, admitting 95% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $97,819 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 7.7% |
| Northwestern University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $97,819 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, and an admission rate of 8%. | |||||
| 2 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $95,416 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 83.0% |
| Grand Valley State University, a public university in Allendale, posts median earnings of $95,416 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $16,317. | |||||
| 3 | Bradley University · Peoria, IL | $88,690 | $22,719 | $17,269 | 76.8% |
| Bradley University reports median federal debt of $27,000 among Manufacturing Engineering completers who borrowed, and its graduates four years after completing earn a median of $88,690. | |||||
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI | $87,431 | $17,490 | $10,966 | 87.7% |
| University of Wisconsin-Stout admits 88% of applicants and shows median earnings of $87,431 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI | $80,996 | $8,624 | $2,556 | 91.4% |
| Ferris State University carries an average net price of $8,624 and reports median earnings of $80,996 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $67,660 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus ranks 6th on this list, with median earnings of $67,660 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, and an admission rate of 95%. | |||||
| 7 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | $65,387 | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% |
| Saint Cloud State University posts median earnings of $65,387 for its Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $8,909 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 2 of the 7 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Northwestern University and Grand Valley State University is $2,403, while the spread from the top to the bottom of the list reaches $32,432.
Job market context in the Midwest
Graduates of Manufacturing Engineering programs in the Midwest enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Industrial Engineers, Cost Estimators, and related roles. The median annual wage across those occupations is $93,258, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $75,412. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 15,490 openings a year, or about 9,166 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 5.0% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of Manufacturing Engineering graduates four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures described here.
Related rankings
- Best Manufacturing Engineering Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Manufacturing Engineering Programs in the West
- Best Engineering Colleges in the Midwest