Best Online Engineering Programs in South Bend, IN (2026)

South Bend, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $6,026 to $14,999 per year for indexed programs. South Bend has a population of about 102,866. Median household income is $52,512 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $144,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to South Bend

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near South Bend. Distances are calculated from South Bend city center.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from South Bend. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN 2.5 miles from South Bend BOC Score83.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Southwestern Michigan College

Dowagiac, MI 22.1 miles from South Bend BOC Score48.6
Published tuition$6,026 - $14,999
Online programsYes

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#3

Lake Michigan College

Benton Harbor, MI 29.5 miles from South Bend BOC Score36.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#4

Glen Oaks Community College

Centreville, MI 42.0 miles from South Bend BOC Score46.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN 42.7 miles from South Bend BOC Score71.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Indiana schools on the Indiana engineering page.


Engineering Wages Near South Bend

South Bend is part of the South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area (BLS area code 43780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Civil Engineer$96,180South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI$103,531
Electrical Engineer$98,870South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI$106,426
Mechanical Engineer$88,770South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI$95,554
Chemical Engineer$113,160IN statewide$121,808
Aerospace Engineer$107,400IN statewide$115,608
Biomedical Engineer$108,030IN statewide$116,286
Environmental Engineer$92,460IN statewide$99,526
Architectural and Engineering Manager$144,900South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI$155,974

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


South Bend at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population102,866Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,512Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+29.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in St. Joseph County1,165 workers, 115 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other South Bend-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near South Bend, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near South Bend. The closest is University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN (2.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Valparaiso University (42.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near South Bend?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near South Bend are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($144,900), Chemical Engineer ($113,160), Biomedical Engineer ($108,030). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Elkhart instead of South Bend?

Elkhart, IN is 15.9 miles from South Bend and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is South Bend an affordable place to study engineering?

South Bend’s median household income of $52,512 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in South Bend while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in South Bend

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for South Bend:

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.