{
  "major": "Materials Engineering",
  "slug": "materials-engineering",
  "field": "Engineering & Architecture",
  "as_of": "2026",
  "url": "https://collegeranked.com/best-materials-engineering-schools/",
  "source": "U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2026 release); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics",
  "metric_definitions": {
    "median_earnings": "Median earnings one year after graduation (Scorecard)",
    "net_price": "Average annual cost of attendance after grant aid. For PUBLIC schools this reflects IN-STATE cost; out-of-state students pay more.",
    "roi_10yr_usd": "Ten years of earnings minus four years of net price",
    "public": "true = public university (net_price is in-state basis); false = private (residency-neutral)"
  },
  "total_colleges_with_reported_data": 33,
  "shown": 25,
  "ranking": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "school": "University of Florida",
      "state": "FL",
      "median_earnings": 79200,
      "net_price": 6541,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 765836,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "school": "Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus",
      "state": "GA",
      "median_earnings": 76488,
      "net_price": 12116,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 716416,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "school": "University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign",
      "state": "IL",
      "median_earnings": 75080,
      "net_price": 14355,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 693380,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "school": "University of Michigan-Ann Arbor",
      "state": "MI",
      "median_earnings": 75041,
      "net_price": 13138,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 697858,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "school": "California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo",
      "state": "CA",
      "median_earnings": 74496,
      "net_price": 16665,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 678300,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "school": "University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus",
      "state": "CT",
      "median_earnings": 75607,
      "net_price": 10875,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 712570,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "school": "University of Washington-Seattle Campus",
      "state": "WA",
      "median_earnings": 71174,
      "net_price": 14091,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 655376,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "school": "Michigan State University",
      "state": "MI",
      "median_earnings": 78276,
      "net_price": 19680,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 704040,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 9,
      "school": "University of Connecticut-Avery Point",
      "state": "CT",
      "median_earnings": 75607,
      "net_price": 13807,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 700842,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 10,
      "school": "University of Wisconsin-Madison",
      "state": "WI",
      "median_earnings": 76662,
      "net_price": 17354,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 697204,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 11,
      "school": "University of Connecticut-Stamford",
      "state": "CT",
      "median_earnings": 75607,
      "net_price": 16798,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 688878,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 12,
      "school": "University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus",
      "state": "CT",
      "median_earnings": 75607,
      "net_price": 16403,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 690458,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 13,
      "school": "Ohio State University-Main Campus",
      "state": "OH",
      "median_earnings": 70371,
      "net_price": 17339,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 634354,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 14,
      "school": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology",
      "state": "MA",
      "median_earnings": 65919,
      "net_price": 20111,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 578746,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 15,
      "school": "Winona State University",
      "state": "MN",
      "median_earnings": 72944,
      "net_price": 17503,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 659428,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 16,
      "school": "University of Alabama at Birmingham",
      "state": "AL",
      "median_earnings": 69498,
      "net_price": 18749,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 619984,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 17,
      "school": "Michigan Technological University",
      "state": "MI",
      "median_earnings": 63135,
      "net_price": 14182,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 574622,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 18,
      "school": "University of Minnesota-Twin Cities",
      "state": "MN",
      "median_earnings": 60445,
      "net_price": 16778,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 537338,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 19,
      "school": "Iowa State University",
      "state": "IA",
      "median_earnings": 65831,
      "net_price": 18589,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 583954,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 20,
      "school": "University of Connecticut",
      "state": "CT",
      "median_earnings": 75607,
      "net_price": 25097,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 655682,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 21,
      "school": "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University",
      "state": "VA",
      "median_earnings": 66888,
      "net_price": 24953,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 569068,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 22,
      "school": "Clemson University",
      "state": "SC",
      "median_earnings": 69763,
      "net_price": 22253,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 608618,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 23,
      "school": "Drexel University",
      "state": "PA",
      "median_earnings": 78623,
      "net_price": 38509,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 632194,
      "public": false
    },
    {
      "rank": 24,
      "school": "Purdue University-Main Campus",
      "state": "IN",
      "median_earnings": 78265,
      "net_price": 14600,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 724250,
      "public": true
    },
    {
      "rank": 25,
      "school": "Arizona State University Campus Immersion",
      "state": "AZ",
      "median_earnings": 77646,
      "net_price": 14967,
      "roi_10yr_usd": 716592,
      "public": true
    }
  ]
}