Best value colleges for Mechanical Engineering in Illinois.2026 Rankings
Illinois is home to 10 accredited institutions offering Mechanical Engineering programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, Northwestern University is the most selective, admitting 7% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $27,693, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $31,044. Median early-career earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates in this state average $39,937 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 65%.
Not sure if your profile matches these schools?
Looking at schools in Illinois is a great start — but knowing whether your GPA, test scores, and activities match what these programs actually admit takes a deeper look.
Drop your application data into our Free Application Review. Our AI will analyze your admission chances and stats in 2 minutes. Get practical next steps for improvements where it matters most.
Get My Free Application Review →Mechanical Engineering Programs in Illinois
ranked by value score
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | Perfect· 52 | 7% | 96% | $6,485 | $75,253 | 6:1 | 83 | 8,960 |
| 2 | Excellent· 42 | 55% | 72% | $16,566 | $65,386 | 17:1 | 39 | 2,812 | |
| 3 | Excellent· 42 | 44% | 85% | $10,065 | $80,187 | 20:1 | 100 | 34,623 | |
| 4 | Bradley UniversityPrivate | Great· 39 | 77% | 72% | $19,392 | $71,746 | 11:1 | 78 | 3,865 |
| 5 | Strong· 35 | 70% | 50% | $12,674 | $68,069 | 14:1 | 55 | 11,277 | |
| 6 | Strong· 35 | 79% | 60% | $12,887 | $69,871 | 17:1 | 68 | 21,814 | |
| 7 | Strong· 35 | 75% | 45% | $11,608 | $41,243 | 14:1 | 71 | 4,939 | |
| 8 | North Park UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 73% | 56% | $17,712 | $45,365 | 11:1 | 50 | 1,844 |
| 9 | Strong· 34 | 90% | 56% | $13,206 | $69,454 | 11:1 | 89 | 8,116 | |
| 10 | Good· 32 | 97% | 55% | $11,954 | $66,546 | 15:1 | 47 | 8,836 |