[Mining Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong mining engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for mining engineering students.
Finding the Best Value Mining Engineering School for You
The mining engineering program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Mining 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.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Best Value Mining Engineering Schools list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
New Mexico Institute Of Mining And Technology tops our 2027 list of the best value mining engineering schools 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, compared with $27,247 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,747 to complete the mining engineering program here. Mining 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 is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mining engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,984, with out-of-state students paying around $33,248. Students borrow a median of $28,000 to complete the mining engineering program here. Early-career mining engineering graduates make about $74,532. That is a strong return on a $28,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
University Of Arizona came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value mining engineering schools. University Of Arizona is a very large public school located in the city of Tucson. In-state tuition and fees average $13,573, while out-of-state students pay about $39,903. Students borrow a median of $11,500 to complete the mining engineering program here. Mining Engineering graduates of University Of Arizona earn a median of $86,924 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Kentucky came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value mining engineering schools. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Mining Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,094 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mining engineering degree recipients from University Of Kentucky generally make around $49,568. Set against $24,094 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 93%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology earned it the #5 place for mining engineering. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Rapid City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,500, while out-of-state students pay about $14,900. Students borrow a median of $27,914 to complete the mining engineering program here. Soon after graduation, mining 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%.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University came in at #6 for value in mining engineering this year. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Mining Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,907 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mining engineering degree recipients from Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University generally make around $74,793. Set against $20,907 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado School Of Mines earned the #7 position for value in mining engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,914, while out-of-state students pay about $45,824. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the mining engineering program here. Mining Engineering graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $83,309 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
This ranking is produced 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 · 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).
[Mining Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong mining engineering education at a price that pays off.
