2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in South Dakota
[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for mechanical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in South Dakota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the mechanical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in mechanical engineering, no school beat South Dakota State University this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $67,791. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,500, with out-of-state students paying around $14,900. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology generally make around $69,667. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
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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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
