2026 Best Value Mining Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Mining Engineering](/majors/engineering/mining-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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for mining engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Mining Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the mining engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Mining Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Missouri University Of Science And Technology the best value for a degree in mining 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, with out-of-state students paying around $33,248. Students borrow a median of $28,000 to complete the mining engineering program here. Soon after graduation, mining 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. Missouri University Of Science And Technology admits about 72% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in mining engineering will find it at South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, which ranked #2. 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 Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,914 in student loans. 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%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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.
