13 College Engineering Programs for Under $20,00013 College Engineering Programs for Under $20,000

In this era of hyper-inflationary education costs, it’s still possible to get an engineering degree for an annual tuition of less than $20,000. Here are some of the best schools to look at.

Charles Murray

November 17, 2016

9 Slides
13 College Engineering Programs for Under $20,000

Already have an account?

1.) The United States Air Force AcademyThe United States Air Force Academy is ranked seventh in US News & World Report’s “Best Engineering Programs” among schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s. It’s also free -- that is, no cost -- to those lucky enough to be selected. Admission is tough, however, and the curriculum is hard for those who do get there. Not surprisingly, its aeronautical/astronautical program is ranked best in the country among its peers. Similarly, its EE program is ranked fourth in the nation. The Air Force Academy also offers civil, computer, mechanical and systems engineering degrees. (Source: Wikipedia)

In this era of hyper-inflationary education costs, it’s still possible to get an engineering degree for an annual tuition of less than $20,000.

Sure, one obvious way to do that is to go to your local state school. But some state schools don’t offer engineering and others are highly selective. Worse, students who decide to matriculate out of state are met by exorbitant costs for non-residents.

Still, engineering students who are looking for a reasonably-priced out-of-state school aren’t out of luck. Here, we’ve collected information on 13 schools with out-of-state tuitions ranging from zero to $20,000. From the service academies to the mega state schools, we offer a peek at colleges with prices that won’t take a big bite out of your life savings.

ESC logoDesign TechnologiesLearn more about electronics and security at ESC Silicon Valley. December 6-8, 2016 in San Jose. Register here for the event, hosted by Design News’ parent company UBM.

READ MORE ABOUT ENGINEERING EDUCATION AT DESIGN NEWS:

Senior technical editor Chuck Murray has been writing about technology for 32 years. He joined Design News in 1987, and has covered electronics, automation, fluid power, and autos.

About the Author

Charles Murray

Charles Murray is a former Design News editor and author of the book, Long Hard Road: The Lithium-Ion Battery and the Electric Car, published by Purdue University Press. He previously served as a DN editor from 1987 to 2000, then returned to the magazine as a senior editor in 2005. A former editor with Semiconductor International and later with EE Times, he has followed the auto industry’s adoption of electric vehicle technology since 1988 and has written extensively about embedded processing and medical electronics. He was a winner of the Jesse H. Neal Award for his story, “The Making of a Medical Miracle,” about implantable defibrillators. He is also the author of the book, The Supermen: The Story of Seymour Cray and the Technical Wizards Behind the Supercomputer, published by John Wiley & Sons in 1997. Murray’s electronics coverage has frequently appeared in the Chicago Tribune and in Popular Science. He holds a BS in engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Sign up for Design News newsletters

You May Also Like