10 Most Affordable Online Engineering Management Master’s for 2021

engineering management usf

The average student looking for a master’s in engineering management degree tends to be older, experienced, and, perhaps most importantly, paying their own way. That makes tuition cost an important factor for their considerations. When a person wants to earn a master’s in engineering management to further his or her career, he or she may want to look at affordable solutions before anything else. A person doesn’t want to have a hefty debt that he or she has to pay off after school. 

First and foremost, a person should look into the cheaper online masters degree in engineering management in his or her area. Besides looking for the cheapest online masters degree in engineering management, a person can also find other ways to make a program an affordable online masters in engineering management. For instance, his or her employer may provide some type of incentive. Grants and scholarships are also an important option, especially as there are strong initiatives to improve science education and careers in the US. 

Methodology: Ranking the Most Affordable Engineering Management Master’s

Because cost is important for non-traditional students, Great Business Schools editors have ranked the Most Affordable Engineering Management Master’s programs strictly by tuition cost, according to current IPEDS data. But because quality matters just as much, GBS features only accredited, reputable institutions known for their return on investment. 

1. University of New Orleans

The University of New Orleans’ Engineering College/School of Business Administration offers a Master of Science in Engineering Management degree that is one of the most affordable online masters in engineering management programs available in the marketplace. The University of New Orleans’s graduate engineering management degree requires degree candidates to complete 30 semester hours to meet program requirements. In addition, students enrolled in The University of New Orleans’ engineering master’s program must complete a capstone project but have a choice as to whether they prefer to graduate with or without a thesis. 

The University of New Orleans (New Orleans) is a research university that was established in 1956. The school’s urban campus in New Orleans serves nearly 8,000 students. 

Highlight The University of New Orleans was established by then-senator Ted Hickey, who recognized that new Orleans was the biggest urban area without a major higher learning institution. 
Degree MS in Engineering Management

2. Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science offers an MS in Engineering and Technology Management that requires students to complete 33 semester units to graduate. Coursework for this affordable online masters in engineering management program includes engineering administration, project management, engineering finance, statistical analysis for six sigma, and operations analysis, to name a few. In addition, degree candidates have the option of selecting from three academic concentrations – Construction, Management of Technology, or Engineering Management. 

Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech) was established as an industrial college in 1898. LA Tech now operates as a space-grant higher learning institution with a student enrollment that nears 12,000 students. Louisiana Tech University is a member school of the state’s university system. 

Highlight Money Magazine has recognized Louisiana Tech University as the state’s best school in 2016.
Degree MS in Engineering and Technology Management

3. University of South Florida

The University of South Florida’s Engineering College offers an MS in Engineering Management (MSEM) degree that was first developed in the early 1980s. The University of South Florida’s affordable online masters in engineering management program offers a multidisciplinary curriculum that includes coursework in operations research, statistical design models, principles of engineering management, work design and productivity, and technology & finance, to name a few. Students can opt for academic specialties in safety management, regulator affairs for medical devices, quality management, technical management, or systems engineering. 

The University of South Florida is a higher learning institution that was founded in 1956. It is a multi-campus education facility that is also a  space-grant school that serves more than 51,500 students. USF’s campuses cover more than 1,500 across all campuses. 

Highlight The University of South Florida is home to the Hall of Fame for Inventors and the Academy of Inventors.
Degree MS in Engineering Management

4. Purdue University

Purdue University’s College of Engineering offers a dual Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) & a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program that requires students to complete 60 semester units to complete both degrees. Purdue University’s affordable online masters in engineering management degree and MBA degree offers these academic concentrations – systems design & development, business management, or an interdisciplinary engineering degree. Purdue University’s College of Engineering consistently ranks among the finest engineering programs in the nation. Coursework covers topics in strategic marketing, law & ethics, and globalization, project management, and financial management, to name a few. 

Purdue University was established as the result of the Morrill College Land Act in 1869. The university’s large-town campus serves more than 43,400 students vying for degrees offered by the university’s thirteen colleges/schools. 

Highlight Purdue University began from humble beginnings with only 39 students.
Degree Dual MSE/MBA

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte 

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte offers an MS in Engineering Management degree that can be completed 100% online. The University of North Carolina Charlotte’s affordable online masters in engineering management degree program offers three starting dates throughout the year and is accredited by ABET. This graduate engineering management degree program requires the completion of 31 semester credits to meet program requirements. Degree candidates have the options of these academic concentrations – energy systems, logistics & supply chains, lean six sigma, or systems analytics.

The University of North Carolina is a higher learning institution \that was established in 1946. The University of North Carolina Charlotte, with more than 29,800 students, is the largest higher learning institution in the greater Charlotte metro area. 

Highlight The University of North Carolina Charlotte operates three campuses as a member school of the state’s university system.
Degree MS in Engineering Management

6. Arizona State University

Arizona State University offers a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Engineering Management that can be completed 100% online. Degree candidates enrolled in Arizona State University’s affordable online masters in engineering management degree program includes ten classes in topics that include the design of experiments, simulating stochastic systems, web-enabled decision support systems, applied deterministic operations research, and engineering administration, to name a few. Students graduate from Arizona State University’s graduate engineering management degree and enter the workforce as an engineering educator, systems manager, architectural manager, or a strategic technology developer, among others.

Arizona State University (Arizona State) is a large, multi-campus higher learning institution that was established in 1885. Arizona State University is also a space-grant school with an enrollment that exceeds 89,150, which makes Arizona State University one of the biggest universities by enrollment in the nation.

Highlight Arizona State University was founded prior to Arizona reaching statehood.
Degree MEng in Engineering Management

7. Oakland University

Oakland University’s School of Engineering & Computer Science offers a Master of Science (MS) in Engineering Management degree that is one of the most affordable online masters in engineering management programs available in the Michigan marketplace. This 100% online graduate degree in engineering management offers students seven concentrations in systems engineering, ergonomics, lean & continuous improvement, energy management, and product lifecycle. Core classes include foundations of systems engineering, engineering decision analysis, statistical quality analysis, and e-commerce, to name a few.  

Oakland University (Oakland) is a public higher learning institution that was established in 1957. The university’s suburban campus in the Detroit metro area serves more than 15,400 students and covers more than 1,300 acres. 

Highlight Oakland University is home to Meadow Brook Hall, one of the nation’s largest historic mansions that are also museums. 
Degree MS in Engineering Management

8. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University offers an MS in Engineering and Technology Management degree that is ranked among the best by US News. This affordable online masters in engineering management degree from Oklahoma State University is also recognized as a ‘best buy’ by GetEducated.com. Degree candidates are required to complete 32 semester credits in classes that include strategic decision analysis for engineers, leadership strategies, planning technical projects, sustainable enterprise strategies, and managing the engineering & technical function.

Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma State) was established in 1890 under the Morrill Land Grant College Act. Oklahoma State University is the flagship campus for the state’s university system. 

Highlight Oklahoma State University’s homecoming has been an event for more than a century and draws nearly 75,000 people every year.
Degree MS in Engineering and Technology Management

9. University of Wisconsin-Stout

The University of Wisconsin-Stout offers an MS in Manufacturing Engineering that requires degree candidates to complete thirty credit units to graduate. UW Stout’s affordable online masters in engineering management degree includes classes in planned experimentation for quality improvement, organizational research methods, manufacturing system design, and six sigma quality improvement methods – black belt level, among others. The University of Wisconsin offers a generous transfer credit policy where students can potentially transfer up to 33% of required credits from eligible accredited higher learning institutions. 

The University of Wisconsin-Stout was established as a polytechnic higher learning institution in 1891. The university’s rural campus serves more than 8,100 students and covers more than 110 acres. 

Highlight The University of Wisconsin—Stout is named to honor its founder James Stout, a local lumber magnate.
Degree MS in Manufacturing Engineering

10. Missouri University of Science & Technology

Missouri University of Science & Technology offers an MS in Engineering Management that is recognized by US News among the top engineering programs in the nation. Missouri University of Science & Technology’s affordable online masters in engineering management degree requires students to complete 30 semester credits to meet program requirements. Coursework for this graduate degree in engineering management provides students with real-world applications for theoretical knowledge. 

Missouri University of Science & Technology was established as a land grant higher learning institution in 1870. The university is also a space-grant institution of higher education that serves more than 7,800 students. 

Highlight Missouri University of Science & Technology holds the distinction of being the first technological higher learning institution that was located to the west of the Mississippi River. 
Degree MS in Engineering Management

How Do I Save Money on a Master’s in Engineering Management?

A person may even be able to find the cheapest online masters degree in engineering management online because it doesn’t tend to require any in-person instruction. Affordable online masters in engineering management tend to be cheaper because a person doesn’t have to pay for the expense to keep the school running, which is part of the expense of an on-campus program. 

Secondly, an employer may provide tuition reimbursement, which can lower the cost that he or she has to pay. A person makes an agreement with his or her employer. The employee must complete the program and work for the employer for a designated amount of time. As long as the person fulfills his or her end of the bargain, he or she receives reimbursement toward his or her tuition. 

A person can also apply for financial aid through his or her state and federal government. This may include grants that he or she doesn’t have to pay back as long as he or she completes his or her program. A person may also take out low-interest loans that can help since his or her bank may offer loans with a higher interest rate. Keep in mind that all of the financing through government-based organizations is based on income. You can receive more funding if you have a lower income. 

When someone is looking into the cheapest online masters degree in engineering management, he or she should also look into private grants and scholarships. These options make a program an affordable online masters degree in engineering management even if the school is more expensive. With these options, a student receives funding for his or her degree that he or she doesn’t have to pay back. Some of the scholarships and grants are based on your academic performance, but they can also be based on your extracurricular activities and if you do any volunteer work. 

How Much Can I Make with a Master’s in Engineering Management?

A person may wonder how much he or she can make with an engineering management degree, especially in terms of the average masters in engineering management salary. On average, an engineer makes around $80,000 per year or sometimes less. Sometimes, it’s even greater. The average masters in engineering management salary is even higher. As noted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average master of engineering management salary is $144,830 per year. This average master of engineering management salary is the same as $69.63 per hour. 

Keep in mind that the average master of engineering management salary is higher in some areas. In certain fields of engineering it is also even higher. The normal master of engineering management salary is high with certain companies and be higher in certain states and cities even. A person tends to make more money in companies that are larger and have more employees. 

A person also makes a higher engineering management masters salary with experience. Often, in addition to the engineering management salary, a person may also earn certain perks, which makes the rewards for this career even higher. 

Overall, the masters of engineering management salary may be enough to make a person want to earn a degree. 

Will a Certification in Engineering Management Help My Career? 

Not everyone wants to spend more years in schools just to advance his or her position or earn more. Some may not have the time when he or she is also in charge of running a household and taking care of children and other obligations. For others, the money that it takes to earn a degree might be more debt than a person wants to take on. 

Fortunately, a person may still find a management position with a bachelor’s degree. He or she may want to look into engineering management certifications that provide a person with something extra. It shows employers that he or she was willing to go the extra mile. Engineering management certifications can also provide a person with extra education that can help him or her succeed in the field and in a management role. 

A person can also choose to earn engineering management certifications in specific areas of engineering. 

Fortunately, an engineering management certification is a shorter program than earning a complete degree. Moreover, an engineering management certification can often be earned online, so a person can choose to complete on his or her schedule.  

Carrie Morris
Author

Warren Dahl
Editor-in-Chief