As far as career paths go, engineering is one of the toughest and most commendable. If you’re the type of person that knows how to orient yourself in the ever-evolving world of math, physics, and technology, you’d definitely be doing society a favor by becoming an engineer. Below we’ve compiled a list of a few of the most affordable online engineering degrees out there, offered through highly-reputable institutions that will make it their priority to assist you on the path to your future. If you’re smart, you’ll want to find the school with the best cost-benefit ratio, which is what we’ve presented you with here.
Methodology
All schools considered for these rankings
- Are regionally or nationally accredited
- Offer at least one fully online engineering degree (with no more than two weeks of required in-person work)
- Were collected from official accrediting agency websites.
Schools are ranked solely by the average net price as released in the most recent IPEDs database collected in July of 2020.
2021 Most Affordable Online Colleges for Engineering Degrees
| Rank | School | Average Net Price |
| # 1 | Middle Georgia State University | $9,781 |
| # 2 | Florida International University | $9,888 |
| # 3 | American Public University System | $10,995 |
| # 4 | Lamar University | $12,716 |
| # 5 | Arizona State University | $14,081 |
| # 6 | Bemidji State University | $14,945 |
| # 7 | Regent University Online | $15,062 |
| # 8 | Stony Brook University | $15,605 |
| # 9 | University of North Dakota | $15,654 |
| # 10 | Southern Illinois University – Carbondale | $16,299 |
| # 11 | University of Arizona | $16,580 |
| # 12 | Old Dominion University | $16,681 |
| # 13 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | $17,068 |
| # 14 | Saint Leo University Online | $19,843 |
| # 15 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide | $20,500 |
| # 16 | Upper Iowa University | $20,511 |
| # 17 | University of Alabama | $20,623 |
| # 18 | University of Advancing Technology | $22,074 |
| # 19 | Pennsylvania State University-World Campus | $24,724 |
| # 20 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | $25,365 |
| # 21 | Cogswell College | $28,103 |
| # 22 | University of the Potomac | $29,283 |
| # 23 | National University | $29,382 |
| # 24 | Keiser University | $30,437 |
| # 25 | Southern New Hampshire University Online | $39,743 |
10 Best Affordable Colleges for Online Engineering Degrees
1. Middle Georgia State University
Average Net Price: $9,781
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Acceptance Rate: 92%
Middle Georgia State University offers an excellent online engineering degree. With a 92% acceptance rate, MGSU remains accessible but challenging. Over 50% of students participate in some form of online learning.
90% of MGSU students receive financial aid. Combined with the already low cost of attending, this keeps MGSU in a comfortable price range for many students. Online U rates MGSU #4 on its list of the Most Affordable online engineering degrees. MGSU students can complete the Software Engineering curriculum online, setting themselves up for prosperous careers.
Students reviewing MGSU on Niche.com awarded it 4 stars. Students praised the faculty’s passion for teaching and the low tuition. Online instructors received high marks. MGSU allows all students, online or not, to complete core courses online, showing that they possess the technology and commitment to allow for large scale online learning.
2. Florida International University
Average Net Price: $9,888
School Type: Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Acceptance Rate: 59%
Florida International University ranks #9 on Online U’s list of the Most Affordable Online Colleges for Engineering Degrees. According to Niche.com, it features a very competitive environment, with an acceptance rate of 59%.
FIU’s online school possesses very high respect nationally. According to bestcollegereviews.org, FIU’s engineering degree online programs ranked in the nation’s top 20 in both 2019 and 2020. Bestcolleges.com ranked it #3 nationally among online schools in 2020.
FIU receives an A- from Niche.com. 89% of its students receive financial aid. 69% of the students engage in some form of online education, lending credence to FIU’s high online rankings.
FIU students give high marks to the professors for making online education accessible and valuable. Some students found no difference between the quality of education offered online and in the classroom.
3. American Public University System
Average Net Price: $10,995
School Type: Private, for-profit
School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission, Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded in 1991, American Public University System is a for-profit online college located in West Virginia. It boasts over 46,000 students. APUS originally served as an institution to educate military personnel in disciplines such as intelligence and counterterrorism.
Online Schools Report rates APUS #5 in Online Bachelor’s Electrical Engineering. Online U rates it the third most affordable engineering degree online program in the country.
According to Niche.com, 89% of APUS students attend school online. 83% of students remain employed two years after graduation.
The vast majority of students give APUS 5 stars. They raved about the attention and passion of their professors. They also appreciated the asynchronous schedule that allowed them to schedule their school around other obligations, including work.
4. Lamar University
Average Net Price: $12,716
School Type: Public, Non-profit
School Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded in 1923, Lamar University currently hosts over 15,000 students. The main campus sits in Beaumont, Texas, but Lamar’s online programs have garnered national respect.
Online U ranks Lamar the most affordable engineering online degree program in the country. Intelligent.com ranks Lamar as the 4th best online engineering school in America. It also ranks Lamar’s online electrical engineering program No. 58 in the country.
According to Niche.com, 86% of Lamar students receive financial aid. 57% of students complete at least part of their studies online. 91% remain employed two years after graduation, well above the national average.
Lamar students praised the quality of the online program. They also offered high marks to the academic support. Some specifically praised the counselors for helping them ensure that they remained on track to obtain their degrees in a timely fashion.
5. Arizona State University
Average Net Price: $14,081
School Type: Public, Non-profit
School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance Rate: 85%
Founded in 1885, Arizona State University serves over 100,000 students, with over 31,000 of those students attending online. ASU rates 19th in Online U’s rankings of the most affordable bachelor’s online engineering programs. ASU offers over 300 online degrees, indicating their commitment to distance learning.
ASU ranks in the top 10 nationally for online bachelor’s programs according to U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News also ranks its undergraduate engineering program 39th nationally. Intelligent.com ranked ASU 51st for engineering online degree programs.
Niche.com gives ASU an A in its overall school rating. 96% of students receive financial aid. Students consistently give ASU 5 star reviews on Niche.com. They praise the dedication of the professors, the easy to use online system and even access to alumni.
6. Bemidji State University
Average Net Price: $14,945
School Type: Public, Non-profit
School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded in 1919, Bemidji State University originally started as a teacher’s school before transforming into a full-fledged university. It currently boasts an undergraduate enrollment of 6,000.
Online U ranks it No. 5 in its list of the most affordable online bachelor’s degree programs. PR Newswire ranked Bemidji State University in its top 50 schools for the best return on investment. U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 22 among public schools in the Midwest.
According to Niche.com, 94% of Bemidji State University students receive financial aid. Approximately 40% of students engage in some form of online learning. 94% remain employed two years after graduation, well in excess of the national average.
Students praise both the administration and the professors for helping make their college experience as enjoyable and valuable as possible. Students appeared confident that their time at Bemidji State University would result in valuable employment upon graduation.
7. Regent University Online
Average Net Price: $15,062
School Type: Public, Christian
School Accreditation: Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Acceptance Rate: 82%
Regent University was originally founded as a Christian media school. It later converted to a traditional university, although it retains a Christian affiliation. Its Chancellor is Pat Robertson.
Online U ranked Regent #14 in ist study of the most affordable online bachelor’s degree programs. Study.com ranked Regent #1 in their survey of the Best Online Accredited Schools. Study.com praised Regent for having a “robust digital learning infrastructure” and also raved about the formatting of the digital programs. U.S. News & World Report ranked Regent University at #42 in its survey of the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs.
According to Niche.com, 97% of Regent University students qualify for financial aid. Approximately 70% of the students attend online, while an additional 17% take a mixture of online and in-person classes, demonstrating a robust online platform.
Students praised the professors for remaining engaged in the online classes. Many opined that the online experience was indistinguishable from the in-person experience. Students also praised the flexibility of administrators when out of school events conflicted with distance learning.
8. Stony Brook University
Average Net Price: $15,605
School Type: Public, Christian
School Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Acceptance Rate: 42%
Stony Brook University, formally named the State University of New York at Stony Brook, was founded in 1957. It serves over 26,000 students. Jef Raskin, one of the initiators of the McIntosh project at Apple, is one of the most prominent graduates of Stony Brook.
Stony Brook is ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide, according to QS World University Rankings. Forbes ranked it a top 15 value university in the U.S. U.S. News & World Report ranks it #39 among public universities nationally. The Wall Street Journal places it in the top 25 nationally among public schools. Online U rates it #8 among its Most Affordable Online Colleges for Engineering Degrees.
Niche.com notes that Stony Brook sports a very competitive 42% acceptance rate. 91% of graduates remain employed two years after graduation, well above the national average.
Students found online courses very easy to follow. They found the professors to be engaged and willing to help, as they would expect from an in-person class.
9. University of North Dakota
Average Net Price: $15,654
School Type: Public, Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded in 1883, six years before North Dakota was admitted to the United States, the University of North Dakota currently boasts over 13,000 students. NBA superstar coach Phil Jackson attended the university.
Online U rates UND #17 among its Most Affordable Online Colleges for Engineering Degrees. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of North Dakota the 128th best public school in the country. Intelligent.com ranks it as the 2nd best online electrical engineering school in the country.
According to Niche.com, 90% of UND students receive financial aid. 45% of students engage in some form of online learning. An astonishing 96% have jobs two years after graduation, the highest total in our survey.
Students praised the quick responses from professors to questions. They also praised the flexibility of the professors. Some reported that they could easily mix a bachelor’s degree with full-time employment.
10. Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
Average Net Price: $16,299
School Type: Public, Public, Non-Profit
School Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Acceptance Rate: 72%
Originally named the Southern Illinois Normal College, Southern Illinois University – Carbondale was founded in 1869. It currently serves more than 11,000 students. Notable alumni include James Belushi and Walt Frazier.
Online U rates Southern Illinois University #7 among its Most Affordable Online Colleges for Engineering Degrees. Intelligent.com rates SIU as the #45 online engineering degree programs in the country, giving it the award for the most innovative curriculum.
According to Niche.com, 93% of SIU students receive some form of financial aid. 41% engage in some type of online education. 93% remain employed two years after graduation.
Students praised the ease of navigating the SIU online platform. They also praised the professors’ willingness to help them with any issues encountered in online courses.
