2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools
[Mining & Mineral Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/mining-mineral-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value mining & mineral engineering schools.
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Finding the Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering School for You
The right mining & mineral engineering school can pay off for years to come. That is why we built our Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools ranking. It weighs the cost of a degree against the outcomes graduates go on to achieve, so you can find the strongest return on your investment.
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2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mining & mineral engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools
For return on investment in mining & mineral engineering, no school beat New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology this year. New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology is a small public school located in the town of Socorro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,476, compared with $27,247 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,747 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates of New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology earn a median of $64,561 early in their careers. Set against $18,747 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology admits about 44% of applicants.
Missouri University Of Science And Technology came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value mining & mineral engineering schools. Located in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,984, while out-of-state students pay about $33,248. Typical student debt for mining & mineral engineering graduates is $28,000. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates of Missouri University Of Science And Technology earn a median of $74,532 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Arizona came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value mining & mineral engineering schools. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. Students from in state pay about $13,573 in tuition and fees, compared with $39,903 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,500 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $86,924. Set against $11,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Arizona admits about 86% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Kentucky one of the best values for mining & mineral engineering. University Of Kentucky is a very large public school located in the city of Lexington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,094 in student loans. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $49,568 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,094 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
A rank of #5 makes South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology one of the best values for mining & mineral engineering. Set in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,500, with out-of-state students paying around $14,900. Students borrow a median of $27,914 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $90,514. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology admits about 80% of applicants.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned the #6 position for value in mining & mineral engineering this year. Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, compared with $37,764 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mining & mineral engineering graduates is $20,907. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $74,793. That is a strong return on a $20,907 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Colorado School Of Mines earned the #7 position for value in mining & mineral engineering this year. Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mining & mineral engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines generally make around $83,309. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
