2026 Best Value Mining & Petroleum Technology Associate’s Degree Schools
[Mining & Petroleum Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/mining-petroleum-technology/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 45 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for mining & petroleum technology students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Mining & Petroleum Technology Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mining & petroleum technology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mining & Petroleum Technology Schools
Lewis And Clark Community College earned the #1 spot for value among mining & petroleum technology schools in the United States. Set in the suburb of Godfrey, Lewis And Clark Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,340 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,840. Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates carry a median of $9,602 in student loans. Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates of Lewis And Clark Community College earn a median of $58,787 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,602 median debt.
L E Fletcher Technical Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value mining & petroleum technology schools. Set in the rural area of Schriever, L E Fletcher Technical Community College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,219. Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates carry a median of $5,396 in student loans. Early-career mining & petroleum technology graduates make about $50,330. That is a strong return on a $5,396 median debt.
Nicholls State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value mining & petroleum technology schools. Nicholls State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Thibodaux. In-state tuition and fees average $8,149, compared with $9,242 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,848 to complete the mining & petroleum technology program here. Mining & Petroleum Technology graduates of Nicholls State University earn a median of $63,555 early in their careers. Set against $18,848 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Nicholls State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Lackawanna College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value mining & petroleum technology schools. Located in the city of Scranton, Lackawanna College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $18,400 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the mining & petroleum technology program here. Soon after graduation, mining & petroleum technology degree recipients from Lackawanna College generally make around $63,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Other Mining & Petroleum Technology Degree Levels
Explore the best-value mining & petroleum technology schools at other degree levels:
View All Mining & Petroleum Technology Rankings >
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 · 45 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.
