A new report has ranked McNeese State University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science third in the nation among all public and private institutions as one of the best-value colleges for engineering majors.

According to the 2017 College ROI Report by PayScale Inc., which provides compensation data and software, McNeese offers one of the best 20-year net returns on investment for engineering majors via high earning potential and affordability.

The report lists McNeese’s four-year cost for engineering students as $73,100 and it’s 20-year ROI as $1.1 million.

Amy Nguyen, a senior engineering major from Vinton, agreed with the report, saying, “The tuition is affordable and the relationship with all of the local industries makes it even more attractive for those of us majoring in engineering because it can be a good career path for us if we choose to pursue those options.”

Nguyen will graduate from McNeese this month and will work as an intern in Spain for the summer before deciding on her next step, although she has an interest in pursuing a career with something related to renewable energy.

Engineering student Kevin Kurten of Sulphur said he has “definitely gotten more than my money’s worth at McNeese.” Kurten, who will graduate this month, said “I hope more people begin to realize just how great this engineering program is.”

Andrea Encina Moreno, a senior engineering major from Bolivia, said that attending McNeese was the “perfect decision” for her because of the affordable tuition. “International students who have good grades can get scholarships, and unlike with some colleges we don’t have to pay really high fees for being non-residents,” she said. “It’s one of the things that helped me decide on attending McNeese, and it’s been a great place for me.”

University President Philip Williams said, “McNeese has received a lot of national attention over the past six years for its outstanding academic programs and continues to play a pivotal role in providing well-prepared, innovative leaders by offering these programs and focusing on student success and affordability.”

Nikos Kiritsis, dean of the engineering college, said, “Our engineering faculty at McNeese provide our students with a practical, hands-on, industry-focused education that makes them competitive to prospective employers.”

The University of California, Berkeley, ranked first in the report, followed by Lamar University.

Online: www.payscale.com/college-roi/major/engineering.

(American Press Archives)