Again, unless we know more about your student’s interests and desires in a program, we’re just spit balling names. There are a lot of schools they could get into that produce successful grads. A LOT.
OP has specified no budget. 
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Penn State?
The OP updated their first post with more information.
34/35 ACT appears to be the norm for Pitt engineering now. I recommend retaking the ACT to boost chances at all schools.
Ohio State
Rutgers
Stony Brook
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UDel?
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In addition to Virginia Tech (match/reach), look into other, less selective Virginia publics with engineering, especially VCU and GMU.
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Both will be unaffordable to OP due to their budget limit. In fact, most other popular OOS schools as well (other than Purdue, which will be an admission reach)
@curiousParent3 has now mentioned their budget is $50k, so unfortunately many of these will be unaffordable (unless they qualify for need based aid).
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If you live in Metro DC, your son may be eligible for the Regional Scholars Program (scholarship) at the University of Louisville (mentioned above by @AustenNut).
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These were the schools I mentioned earlier. I used this aggregator (updated in November 2023) to see the percentage of students without financial need who received merit aid, what the average merit award was, and the rough COA (as listed on the aggregator’s website) after the average merit aid package, which is not guaranteed. All should note that the Cost of Attendance (COA) is not calculated the same at all schools; some are more generous in book allotments, or transportation costs, or monthly allowances, etc. Thus, I would advise reviewing the info using just tuition & fees plus room & board to make it more of an apples-to-apples comparison.
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Worcester Polytechnic: 41%, $20,439 bringing potential COA to about $60k
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Rochester Institute of Technology: 24%, $15,856, bringing potential COA to about $59k
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U. of Louisville: 17%, $9584, bringing potential COA to about $33k, but I believe your son would receive a higher merit aid package than this
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U. of Cincinnati: 23%, $6193, bringing potential COA to about $40k
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Drexel: 36%, $20,347, bringing potential COA to about $61k
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Purdue: 8%, $4631, bringing potential COA to about $35k (but I believe there are additional engineering fees…I believe cost is closer to $45k)
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Georgia Tech - big reach: 7%, $5903, bringing potential COA to about $45k
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Kettering: 30%, $18,939, bringing potential COA to about $42k
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Michigan State: 14%, $6864, bringing potential COA to about $51k
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Rose-Hulman: 42%, $23,316, bringing potential COA to about $52k
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Wentworth: 31%, $14,318, bringing potential COA to about $51k
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Clarkson: 20%, $37,934, bringing potential COA to about $42k
Unless a school has a chart on its website for merit aid for students entering in SY25-26, no merit aid is guaranteed. But I would take a look at schools’ websites and also run the NPC, as many schools will include an estimate for the amount of merit aid a student would receive (such as U. of Minnesota - Twin Cities…another school worth looking into). That would give OP’s family a good ballpark to start working with.
For instance, at U. of Louisville OP’s son would receive either $15k from any non-designated spot in the US or $16k/year if OP resides in one of these counties: Select Virginia Counties
- Alexandria City
- Arlington
- Clarke
- Culpeper
- Fairfax
- Fairfax City
- Fall Church City
- Fauquier
- Fredrick
- Loudoun
- Manassas City
- Manassas Park City
- Prince William
- Stafford
So, if Louisville doesn’t change its requirements/funding model, OP’s son would get $5-6k, more than the average merit aid award. That’s why it’s important to check each school’s site.
I agree that the family should take a close look at all of the in-state publics with ABET-accreditation in multiple engineering fields (George Mason, VCU, perhaps Old Dominion, and also Virginia Tech and UVA, both of which are likely to be reaches if you’re in NOVA). I’ve also heard tons of good things about Iowa State’s engineering program, though don’t know much about how they incorporate co-ops.
ETA: Cross-posted with @kidzncatz!
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UT-Knoxville should come in under $50K; and it has a good college of engineering. Here is a link to the ABET-accredited programs at UTK: https://amspub.abet.org/aps/name-search?searchType=institution&keyword=university%20of%20tennessee%20knoxville
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Thank you all so very much for the inputs! I’m taking notes. This is really helpful!
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So ABET will be hundreds. Once you know the discipline, you can narrow down.
Many schools will have minors.
Everyone will have research - you just have to ask. And everyone will have access to internships (if the student pushes for it - it’s a student, not necessarily school thing) - and most will allow co ops.
With $50K - and it depends too on size - you want small or mid size or large, etc.
Depending on discipline, there are just too many schools to list - but here are a few (there’s more):
Large:
Alabama, Arizona, ASU, Binghamton, Buffalo, Central FloridaColorado State, Delaware, Florida, Florida State, Iowa State, LSU, Michigan State, Minnesota, Miss. State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue (reach), Stony Brooke, Tennessee, Utah, WVU- and many many more.
On mid size, Colorado School of Mines may reach over $50K a bit but SD School of Mines won’t. , Maine, RPI (with merit), Michigan Tech, Missouri Science & Tech, RIT, UAH - and more.
Small - Clarkson, Dayton, Embry Riddle, Florida Tech, Tn Tech, Randolph Macon
You really, really really need to narrow to get a fair list - size, weather, geography, subdiscipline if there is one, greek life, sports, etc.
Tons and tons of schools wil hit what you describe.
I’m reading through and @eyemgh pointed this out earlier…and he’s correct.
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Utk
U. Alabama
Va tech
Purdue EA(maybe a reach)
U. Kentucky
University central Florida
Colorado School of Mines
Most likely over $50.000. Tuition/fees alone for OOS students is~$45.000, on-campus housing/meals ~$17,000.
RIT, RPI, WPI and Clarkson. I think all would offer merit. I know a few kids at RIT who really love it - they also have a co-op program. Kids I know at WPI also really love it - a quarter system which allows engineering students the flexibility to go abroad for a quarter if they want. Clarkson is waaaay up (near Canada) but is pretty generous from what I understand.
With a 3.7 unweighted, RPI and WPI aren’t coming at $50k or less on merit alone.
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OP mentioned a coop. That will help with the costs. Universities like U of Cincinnati have mandatory coop programs. My D went to Purdue and was able to cover the OOS differential with her coop program (5 term program). Her husband went to U of Louisville, he cooped there. They are both employed by the same company. Good in engineering can be what you make of it. It will be challenging nearly everywhere. If he plans to work in industry I am a big proponent of coop programs.
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