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2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region

[Mining & Mineral Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/mining-mineral-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for mining & mineral engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region

2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mining & mineral engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools

1

University Of Kentucky
Lexington, KY

$13,502 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,094 Avg Student Debt

$59,025 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked University Of Kentucky the best value for a degree in mining & mineral engineering in the Southeast Region. University Of Kentucky is a very large public school located in the city of Lexington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Students borrow a median of $24,094 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Mining & Mineral Engineering graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $49,568 early in their careers. Set against $24,094 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.

2

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University
Blacksburg, VA

$15,948 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,907 Avg Student Debt

$81,698 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University one of the best values for mining & mineral engineering. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Students borrow a median of $20,907 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. Early-career mining & mineral engineering graduates make about $74,793. Set against $20,907 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University admits about 55% of applicants.

View All Mining & Mineral Engineering Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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.