Best Schools for Manufacturing Engineering in 2026

14 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Manufacturing Engineering, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Manufacturing Engineering graduate earns $72,238/yr across 14 schools.

Programs Ranked
14
Avg Earnings
$72,238/yr
Avg DW Score
70/100
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure

All Manufacturing Engineering Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

# Program DW Score Earnings AI Risk ROI
1 Manufacturing Engineering
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA
76
71–78
$79,549/yr High 30.4x
2 Manufacturing Engineering
Georgia Southern University · Statesboro, GA
77
71–79
$83,438/yr High 34.3x
3 Manufacturing Engineering
Brigham Young University · Provo, UT
75
69–76
$69,520/yr High 34.3x
4 Manufacturing Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI
73
68–74
$72,830/yr High 19.0x
5 Manufacturing Engineering
Texas State University · San Marcos, TX
71
66–72
$68,886/yr High 17.9x
6 Manufacturing Engineering
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus · Bend, OR
72
66–73
$72,154/yr High 17.3x
7 Manufacturing Engineering
Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR
71
65–72
$72,154/yr High 16.1x
8 Manufacturing Engineering
Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ
72
67–72
$74,119/yr High 14.4x
9 Manufacturing Engineering
Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA
72
66–72
$65,863/yr High 16.7x
10 Manufacturing Engineering
Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI
69
64–68
$68,715/yr High 13.2x
11 Manufacturing Engineering
Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI
71
66–70
$76,754/yr High 12.1x
12 Manufacturing Engineering
Dunwoody College of Technology · Minneapolis, MN
63
58–63
$77,857/yr High 6.6x
13 Manufacturing Engineering
Bradley University · Peoria, IL
57
51–59
$67,488/yr High 4.6x
14 Manufacturing Engineering
Robert Morris University · Moon Township, PA
56
50–57
$62,012/yr High 3.4x

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Manufacturing Engineering?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks #1 for Manufacturing Engineering with a score of 76/100 and graduate earnings of $79,549/yr.
How much do Manufacturing Engineering graduates earn?
Across 14 schools, Manufacturing Engineering graduates earn an average of $72,238/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $83,438/yr.
Is Manufacturing Engineering a good major for AI resistance?
Manufacturing Engineering has an average AI task exposure of 53%, rated "High". This field has significant AI exposure. Check individual program pages for scenario analysis.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.