2026 Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in South Dakota
[Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/vehicle-maintenance-repair-tech/automobile-automotive-mechanics-technology-technician/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools
For return on investment in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician, no school beat Western Dakota Technical Institute this year. Western Dakota Technical Institute is a small public school located in the city of Rapid City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,294. Students borrow a median of $15,125 to complete the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program here. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Western Dakota Technical Institute earn a median of $38,031 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,125 median debt.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician schools. Located in the town of Watertown, Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,718 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program here. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of $47,080 early in their careers. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southeast Technical Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician, landing the #3 spot this year. Southeast Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Sioux Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,650. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Southeast Technical Institute generally make around $46,262. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
