Engineering Technology school under $30k for 3.89 gpa student?

College Search & Selection
1

Hi all,
So the process continues… DS has a 3.89 weighted GPA, taking Calc(regular not AP) & AP Physics 1 next year. SAT is 1230. 1st choice of majors is mining engineering, but I’m concerned about the level of difficulty of the classes for him. I’d like for him to consider Engineering Technology, so am now looking for good programs.

Price must come in at under $30k. We’re in NJ, and the only in-state engineering technology program I can find that would be under $30k is NJIT, which is not an option, due to location(he’s more of a country boy!). Rowan has Engineering Technology, but it’s an online two-year program, which is not an option. We’re looking for a full four year B.S.

So far I have University of Maine, WVU, and Ohio University. Can anyone recommend any other good programs?

TIA!

2

Western Carolina University has an ABET-accredited Engineering Technology major and is definitely less than $30k COA.

Have you considered less selective engineering programs such as those at York College of Pennsylvania? Your son would be likely to receive merit there, bringing cost to under $30K.

3 Likes
3

Bowling Green is also ABET accredited for engineering tech and should be within the budget.

3 Likes
4

Schools usually use unweighted and I would suggest exploring different engineering schools first. He really has to know the difference between both fields and be OK with it first.

2 Likes
5

abet.org lists 0 schools with mining engineering technology and 13 schools in the US with mining engineering.

Of those with mining engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is not especially difficult to get admitted to (see Admissions Requirements ) and has an out-of-state cost of attendance of about $31k.

5 Likes
6

I totally get your concern for engineering. But I don’t think the new major is even similar. I’d ensure the student chooses their major. If they want engineering, they should do that. If it doesn’t work out, then adapt.

If you google niche and engineering technology, you’ll see the schools. You can cross check to see if they really have the major.

Added to the others provided is Murray State, Southern Illinois Carbondale, and this one won’t make but there’s a chance at in state tuition with scholarship - they don’t give requirements so I’d look at to decide - East Tn State U which isn’t a horrendous drive from the NE btw.

Good luck. I hope the student majors in their desire.

1 Like
7

Here are a couple off the radar, with students like yours. Maybe see if method of instruction, class size, are of interest. Merit should be possible.

Connected to local employers, NASA, various DOD facilities, for internships. Has merit.
ABET approved for BS degrees in Astronautical Engineering,
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering.

The following degrees have received accreditation by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET :

  • The BS degree in Computer Engineering Technology
  • The BS degree in Electronics Engineering Technology

The following degrees have received accreditation by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET:

  • The BS degree in Computer Science
  • The BS degree in Cybersecurity

Might be of interest but would need merit.

1 Like
8

You may want to run the Net Price Calculator for Fairleigh-Dickinson as it is ABET-accredited for both engineering fields (civil & electrical) as well as engineering technology (civil engineering tech, construction engineering tech, electrical engineering tech, information technology, and mechanical engineering tech) as wel as CS. Looking at the net price for incomes above $110k, the price is well below $30k, so there may be a pleasant surprise there.

If you are not aware, WVU is facing some budget cuts and one of the departments impacted is engineering, as I believe they’re consolidating mining engineering in with their civil engineering department, or something like that. This thread has some links: Deep cuts at West Virginia University

Is there a certain radius that he’s trying to stay within (or outside of)? Any other info about his preferences for a college?

1 Like
9

Agree with @tsbna44 . I’d let your son figure out what he wants to study and not worry too much about engineering technology at this point. Since that idea does not seem to be coming from him. Maybe mention the major and then be prepared to move on , depending on his interest.

Good luck!

4 Likes
10

SUNY Polytechnic is another possibility. That is one of the campuses that participates in the Flagship Match program (i.e. he’d pay no more than the tuition at Rutgers-New Brunswick). It’s ABET-accredited for civil engineering, civil engineering technology, electrical & computer engineering, computer engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, and nanoscale engineering. So whether he decides on full engineering or engineering technology, he could pursue it here.

As others have mentioned, I 100% agree that your son’s major should be his choice, but this is another school where he’d have options to go either way.

4 Likes
11

Thanks, all! I appreciate your feedback.

A few replies…

  • All 13 schools that offer Mining Engineering are already on our radar.
  • We are considering York College - it’s only 2 hours from us, and definitely on the list.
  • Western Carolina has been considered - it’s very reasonable, and I really like it, but he thinks it’s too remote. We really should go visit it and see what he thinks.
  • If he wants to pursue mining engineering, we will absolutely support him in that. But… it’s only August, and he doesn’t have to commit to a school until May. If he changes his mind during the school year(possibly based on how he finds calc & AP physics), then I want him to have options of schools outside those with the mining engineering major. I don’t want to limit the schools he applies to to just those 13 - because if he changes his mind before May, he would then be severely limited in his choices. We’ve met with the department head of Engineering Technology for Ohio University, and the major is very interesting to him as an alternative to mining.
  • We are very aware of WVU’s budget cuts. It is very worrying.
  • Farleigh Dickinson looks interesting! Thanks for the suggestion :slight_smile:
  • General desires: larger school, good school spirit, not a suitcase school, preferably within driving distance from NJ. Not in a city.
1 Like
12

Based off the additional information you provided, these are some other schools your family may want to check out. They all offer degrees in engineering (multiple fields, unless specified otherwise) and in engineering technology. They also receive a B+ or higher on their Niche grade for athletics, which I’m interpreting as sports enthusiasm/school spirit. I’ve listed the approximate sticker prices for tuition, room & board, and your son could well receive additional merit to drop the prices further. Paging @EconPop as he may have some additional insight for you about some of the schools on this list.

  • Central Michigan: About 10k undergrads, sticker of about $25k
  • East Carolina (NC): About 22k undergrads, sticker of about $35k. Only offers a general ABET-engineering bachelor’s, but several engineering technology ones.
  • North Carolina A&T: About 12k undergrads at this HBCU with a sticker price just under $30k.
  • Southern Illinois-Carbondale: About 8k undergrads, sticker of about $26k
  • Tennessee Tech: About 8500 undergrads, sticker of just over $30k
  • U. of Dayton (OH): About 8400 undergrads, sticker close to $62k
  • U. of Maine: About 10k undergrads, sticker close to $46k. There are several flagship scholarships available to bring tuition in-line with your state flagship’s tuition.
  • U. of Massachusetts-Lowell: About 12k undergrads, sticker close to $49k…probably the school I’m least hopeful about meeting your budget.
  • U. of North Carolina - Charlotte: About 23k undergrads, sticker close to $35k
  • Western Michigan: About 14k undergrads, sticker just under $30k
3 Likes
13

Hi @scritch ,

I’m from NC and my son attends U of Dayton. My son is not an Engineering student, but he knows several and he says all are very pleased with their education and experience at U Dayton. The Dayton area is crazy about the university basketball team and the arena is a great experience for the students, hard to match by 95% of other universities. Other sports have a much smaller but dedicated following. The campus has about 10K students, neither too small nor too large for most students.
EDIT: One thing to add about UDayton. I think almost no one pays the sticker. There are several merit scholarship opportunities. You should run the NPC to get a better idea of the cost for your family.

NCA&T, ECU and UNC Charlotte are all great options. I know recent (and not so recent) graduates of all three of those schools. I know current students at those schools. They’re all typically great places to learn and live for four (or five) years.

Flying into Charlotte and Greensboro would be straightforward. Greenville’s airport is a little smaller, so I’m not sure if that would affect cost. FWIW, flying into Dayton OH is also relatively easy.

If your student is looking for good school spirit around college athletic teams, he’ll find plenty at ECU and NCA&T. Charlotte has built some impressive facilities, and their crowds also seem enthusiastic.

You’d find less sports teams enthusiasm at a place like Western Carolina, but I the students I know there mostly all love it. It’s a beautiful place … but it is remote. Even for North Carolinians, driving there feels like driving to another state - I live in NC and I can get to Washington DC in less time than it takes for me to get to WCU. While it would be less expensive than the other NC options listed, if your budget can stretch, NCA&T, ECU and UNC-Charlotte would all offer broader engineering/tech options than WCU. But for a country kid who wants to avoid cities, this is a good option to explore.

Greensboro (NCA&T) is a great city with several other universities nearby. UNC-Greensboro (14K undergrads) is only five minutes from A&T; Guilford College and Greensboro College (both small LACs) are also relatively close - making the area feel like a college hub to me (and maybe just me.) The downtown is adding a lot of fun things and city/region has several F500 headquarters. There is a new performing arts center for Broadway Plays and other events. Major music acts tour the area regularly. There is a minor league baseball team and an NBA G-league team. I know many people my age and my son’s age who attend(ed) universities in the city and all had a great time. The Engineering program at A&T has great outcomes for graduates and provides a lot of hands-on experience for students. I don’t know if it’s still in place but the school once had an agreement/partnership with NASA to provide access for students in the program. I know a couple of recent Engineering grads and they both landed fantastic high-paying jobs.
EDIT: I found this about A&T’s partnership with Space Force “A&T is one of 11 universities – including Georgia Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Purdue University – initially selected to join the UPP.”

Charlotte is NC’s largest city and you probably don’t need me to say much about it. Needless to say, it should have everything a college student might seek. UNC-Charlotte’s campus feels new and like it is steadily growing, and a train provides free access to downtown Charlotte where your son will find NFL and NBA teams, minor league baseball and hockey, and professional soccer.

Greenville is a great college town. It’s not nearly as large as Greensboro and Charlotte, but it has tremendous school spirit. The campus has everything a student would need, and a very good engineering department, though with fewer Engineering disciplines than A&T and Charlotte. There are a couple of very nice student-oriented commercial areas bordering different sides of campus. Greenville is only an hour from the beach. It also has a minor league baseball team, but no other pro sports. But ECU sports is much more important to the locals than in Greensboro and Charlotte. Game day/night is a community event in Greenville. Every student I know personally who attended ECU has nothing but great things to say about their time there. 100% of them.

9 Likes
14

Thank you so much for the list!

1 Like
15

Thank you so much for all the info on these NC schools - I have to say, North Carolina schools have great offerings for Engineering Technology.

We’ve added Western Carolina and East Carolina to the list… would you say that either of these schools are ‘suitcase schools’? Meaning that a lot of kids go home on weekends & campus is really quiet on weekends? It’s a concern when such a low percentage of students are from out of state. Other than that, they look really appealing!

16

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.