2027 Best Value Automation Engineer Technology/Technician Schools in the Southwest Region
[Automation Engineer Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/electromechanical-engineering-technology/automation-engineer-technology-technician/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for automation engineer technology/technician students.
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2027 Best Value Automation Engineer Technology/Technician Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in automation engineer technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Automation Engineer Technology/Technician Schools
Pima Community College earned the #1 spot for value among automation engineer technology/technician schools in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Tucson, Pima Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,442, with out-of-state students paying around $7,758. Automation Engineer Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,655 in student loans. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $40,977. Set against $10,655 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Midland College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in automation engineer technology/technician, landing the #2 spot this year. Midland College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Midland. Students from in state pay about $3,180 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,180 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,000 to complete the automation engineer technology/technician program here. Automation Engineer Technology/technician graduates of Midland College earn a median of $43,454 early in their careers. Set against $9,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Collin County Community College District came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value automation engineer technology/technician schools. Located in the suburb of McKinney, Collin County Community College District is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,014, compared with $6,064 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,716 to complete the automation engineer technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, automation engineer technology/technician degree recipients from Collin County Community College District generally make around $42,177. Set against $9,716 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value automation engineer technology/technician schools. Set in the town of Okmulgee, Oklahoma State University Institute Of Technology Okmulgee is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,774, compared with $11,384 for out-of-state students. Automation Engineer Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,356 in student loans. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $52,354. Set against $13,356 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mesa Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value automation engineer technology/technician schools. Set in the city of Mesa, Mesa Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,358 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,959. Typical student debt for automation engineer technology/technician graduates is $13,750. Soon after graduation, automation engineer technology/technician degree recipients from Mesa Community College generally make around $54,730. Set against $13,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Francis Tuttle Technology Center landed the #6 spot for automation engineer technology/technician value this year. Set in the city of Oklahoma City, Francis Tuttle Technology Center is a mid-sized public institution. Typical student debt for automation engineer technology/technician graduates is $14,859. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $26,570. Set against $14,859 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Estrella Mountain Community College came in at #7 for value in automation engineer technology/technician this year. Estrella Mountain Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Avondale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,358, while out-of-state students pay about $8,959. Students borrow a median of $21,752 to complete the automation engineer technology/technician program here. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $78,359. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Texas State Technical College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value automation engineer technology/technician schools. Texas State Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Waco. In-state tuition and fees average $7,212, with out-of-state students paying around $11,812. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the automation engineer technology/technician program here. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $63,886. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Canadian Valley Technology Center landed the #9 spot for automation engineer technology/technician value this year. Located in the rural area of El Reno, Canadian Valley Technology Center is a mid-sized public university. Early-career automation engineer technology/technician graduates make about $46,777.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
