American Education In Engineering: A Few Hidden-Gem Universities To Consider

Engineers know finding the right college will boost their chances of getting a job in a field where the average salary -- $111,000 -- is nearly triple the national average of around $47,000.

However, as schools get more expensive, your top choice isn't always the choice you can afford. For example, here are the yearly tuition rates for four of U.S. News & World Report's top six undergrad engineering schools:

Thankfully, there are dozens of engineering schools that offer excellent engineering programs at a fraction of the cost of the top schools.

In this post, you'll get an up-to-date explanation of the current state of engineering education and three schools that can prepare you for success at Pacific Scientific.

The State of Engineering Education

According to 2017 data from Data USA, engineering programs continue to grow. In 2017, colleges and universities awarded more than 191,000 engineering degrees, up 5.91% from the previous year.

Of those degrees, more than 138,000 come from public universities. Tuition for in-state engineering degrees or public universities was $8,190 for in-state students and $42,210 for out of state students.

The American Society for Engineering Education lists the following as the top five degreed awarded within engineering:

In summary, engineering grads continue to grow year on year. Public universities continue to be the most affordable options for engineering students. If you can attend a solid engineering program at a state school in your state of residence, your tuition costs will be considerable lower than any private education or public school in a different state.

Four Hidden-Gem Universities to Consider

While the big-name engineering schools mentioned in the introduction are renowned for the quality of their education, not every qualified engineer undergrad can afford to attend them.

Research across various popular college ranking sites indicates that there are up-an-coming and well-established schools outside the top five that provide excellent engineering training.

Three of the most interesting schools in those lists include:

San Jose State

This California state school's tuition is below $10,000 per year. It offers its engineering grade one massive benefit: it's located in Silicon Valley.

As such, the school is among the top 50 in the nation for return on investment. Students can do internships at Silicon Valley companies, graduate and then find themselves a spot at top companies in the Valley.

Among the university's notable engineering student are Ray Dolby, found of Dolby Laboratories, and Charles Ginsburg, the man who invented the VCR.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott (ERAU)

Our nation's oldest and largest institution dedicated to the fields of Aeronautical and Astronomical, Aerospace, Security and Intelligence and Space Engineering. What they excel at is teaching the science, practice and business of aviation and aerospace. With an enviable record of achievement, ERAU's curriculum covers modern aircraft operations, engineering, research, manufacturing, marketing and management along with the systems supporting them. Second to none in the flight training community, ERAU has over 40 fixed wing and rotary aircraft for safe professional pilot training.

Ranked #1 in Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical by U.S. News, ERAU hold an 84% first year retention rate and this highly focused university in Prescott, Arizona captures the attention of new engineering students the world over. The university also holds a 97% in-discipline job placement within a year of graduation.

"We are pleased to be recognized as a premier undergraduate engineering college delivering excellent results for our students and alumni," said Dr. Ron Madler, Dean of the College of Engineering at the Prescott Campus. "Our outstanding alumni, experienced faculty, hands-on focused curriculum and modern facilities stand out amongst our peers."

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT)

The most popular majors at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology include: Mechanical Engineering; Petroleum Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Computer and Information Sciences; General, Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Ranked #2 by College Factual for the best value nationwide of Engineering colleagues and universities. NMT is also named by Newsweek as one of the top small STEM universities in the nation, and regularly ranked as a best value by the Princeton Review and others.

At NMT undergraduates partake in cutting-edge research and studies at an extremely high level, meaning they are well-prepared for professional scientific careers at the level of master's graduates from other institutions. From astrophysics to petroleum recovery, NMT students are at the center of research and innovation.

New Mexico State University (NMSU)

As a NASA Space Grant College, NMSU's aerospace engineering students are fortunate to be in the hub of aerospace research with connections to NASA's White Sands Test Facility, White Sands Missile Range, Spaceport America, NMSU's Physical Science Laboratory, The Boeing Co. and other leaders in this field.

The College of Engineering has been ranked 12th among the 50 Best Value Engineering Schools for 2019 from a total pool of more than 500 eligible engineering schools. NMSU also ranks third highest among 15 peer institutions with engineering colleges of similar size and composition.

"Not only are we highly ranked in value of those engineering colleges...we are in a select group that strives for excellence in research, teaching and service to society," said Antonia Garcia, Associate Dean of Academics.