2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Technology Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Civil Engineering Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/civil-engineering-technology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong civil engineering technology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for civil engineering technology students.
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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Technology Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the civil engineering technology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Civil Engineering Technology Schools
Hawkeye Community College earned the #1 spot for value among civil engineering technology schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,525, compared with $6,612 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete the civil engineering technology program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering technology degree recipients from Hawkeye Community College generally make around $41,902. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Central College earned it the #2 place for civil engineering technology. Set in the suburb of North Mankato, South Central College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,146. Civil Engineering Technology graduates carry a median of $13,268 in student loans. Civil Engineering Technology graduates of South Central College earn a median of $55,224 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,268 median debt.
St Cloud Technical And Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering technology, landing the #3 spot this year. St Cloud Technical And Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Saint Cloud. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,124. Typical student debt for civil engineering technology graduates is $16,734. Early-career civil engineering technology graduates make about $48,652. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Linn State Technical College earned it the #4 place for civil engineering technology. Located in the rural area of Linn, Linn State Technical College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,160, with out-of-state students paying around $14,610. Typical student debt for civil engineering technology graduates is $11,042. Civil Engineering Technology graduates of Linn State Technical College earn a median of $45,538 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southeast Technical Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering technology, landing the #5 spot this year. Southeast Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Students from in state pay about $7,650 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $18,442 to complete the civil engineering technology program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering technology degree recipients from Southeast Technical Institute generally make around $48,654. Set against $18,442 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
