Have your family go to a net price calculator and figure out how much schools would expect them to contribute. This one from the College Board is fairly general, though obviously the best ones are school-specific.
How far away from home are you willing to live? Do you prefer urban, suburban, or rural environments?
If you think that mechanical engineering is a possible major of interest for you, then I would only consider schools that are ABET accredited for Mech E. (There’s 392 of them, so still plenty of choices.) Most employers only want to hire engineers that have an ABET-accredited degree, so that’s pretty crucial to get.
I’d start off by looking at your in-state publics accredited for Mech E as they’re likely to be among your most affordable options, and any scholarships you receive could help make it possible for you to live on campus:
- College of New Jersey
- Rutgers
- Rowan
- New Jersey Institute of Technology