2027 Best Value Construction Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Construction](/majors/construction-trades/general-construction/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value construction schools.
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2027 Best Value Construction Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in construction, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Construction Schools
For return on investment in construction, no school beat Ozarks Technical Community College this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Ozarks Technical Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,256 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,040 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction graduates is $15,866. Soon after graduation, construction degree recipients from Ozarks Technical Community College generally make around $36,644. That is a strong return on a $15,866 median debt.
Linn State Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in construction, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Linn, Linn State Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,160, while out-of-state students pay about $14,610. Typical student debt for construction graduates is $11,042. Construction graduates of Linn State Technical College earn a median of $45,538 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,042 median debt.
Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value construction schools. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center is a small private not-for-profit institution. Construction graduates carry a median of $9,322 in student loans. Construction graduates of Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center earn a median of $28,440 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
