2026 Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Industrial Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/industrial-production-technology/industrial-technology-technician/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for industrial technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools
For return on investment in industrial technology/technician, no school beat Bismarck State College this year. Set in the city of Bismarck, Bismarck State College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,247, compared with $7,331 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Bismarck State College generally make around $82,310. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Neosho County Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial technology/technician, landing the #2 spot this year. Neosho County Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Chanute. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,704. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,209 in student loans. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $44,672. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Missouri Southern State University one of the best values for industrial technology/technician. Located in the city of Joplin, Missouri Southern State University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,600, compared with $18,300 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,241 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of Missouri Southern State University earn a median of $39,434 early in their careers. Set against $22,241 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 97%.
A rank of #4 makes Saint Cloud State University one of the best values for industrial technology/technician. Set in the city of Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,245. Students borrow a median of $16,084 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of Saint Cloud State University earn a median of $69,616 early in their careers. Set against $16,084 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Cloud State University admits about 95% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Southeast Missouri State University one of the best values for industrial technology/technician. Southeast Missouri State University is a large public school located in the city of Cape Girardeau. Students from in state pay about $9,903 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,489 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn a median of $56,951 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,489 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Northern Iowa landed the #6 spot for industrial technology/technician value this year. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial technology/technician graduates is $23,213. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $69,122. Set against $23,213 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
University Of Central Missouri ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value industrial technology/technician schools. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,050, compared with $18,600 for out-of-state students. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $23,875 in student loans. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $49,157. Set against $23,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Bemidji State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value industrial technology/technician schools. Bemidji State University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Bemidji. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,237. Students borrow a median of $25,819 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Bemidji State University generally make around $48,984. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bemidji State University admits about 56% of applicants.
Pittsburg State University earned the #9 position for value in industrial technology/technician this year. Set in the town of Pittsburg, Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,400, compared with $19,744 for out-of-state students. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Pittsburg State University generally make around $64,703. Set against $22,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
