2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Master’s Degree Schools

[Mining & Mineral Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/mining-mineral-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for mining & mineral engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the mining & mineral engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools
Leading the list is New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology, our #1 best value for mining & mineral engineering in the United States. Set in the town of Socorro, New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,476, while out-of-state students pay about $27,247. Typical student debt for mining & mineral engineering graduates is $18,747. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $64,561. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 44% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri University Of Science And Technology earned it the #2 place for mining & mineral engineering. Located in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,984, compared with $33,248 for out-of-state students. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates carry a median of $28,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mining & mineral engineering degree recipients from Missouri University Of Science And Technology generally make around $74,532. Set against $28,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology earned it the #3 place for mining & mineral engineering. Set in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,500, compared with $14,900 for out-of-state students. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,914 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mining & mineral engineering degree recipients from South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology generally make around $90,514. Set against $27,914 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology admits about 80% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mining & mineral engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $83,309. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Other Mining & Mineral Engineering Degree Levels
Explore the best-value mining & mineral engineering schools at other degree levels:
View All Mining & Mineral Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 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.