Hello,
I was admitted to ME of Clemson too. I think Auto in Clemson is more competitive if you want to hunt for jobs after graduation. Although in ranking Clemson seems not so satisfactory, we can see several big research centers there which are supported by other famous companies like BMW. Also, the total expense in Clemson is surely low. I would be a wonderful choice for you, especially in your areas, I guess.
Hope it would help.