2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Mining & Mineral Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/mining-mineral-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong mining & mineral engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for mining & mineral engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Mining & Mineral Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
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 Missouri University Of Science And Technology, our #1 best value for mining & mineral engineering in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. 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.
South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mining & mineral engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Rapid City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,500, while out-of-state students pay about $14,900. Students borrow a median of $27,914 to complete the mining & mineral engineering program here. 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. The acceptance rate is 80%.
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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 · 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.