2027 Best Value Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in South Dakota
[Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/vehicle-maintenance-repair-tech/diesel-mechanics-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong diesel mechanics technology/technician education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for diesel mechanics technology/technician students.
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2027 Best Value Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in diesel mechanics technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Diesel Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools
Leading the list is Western Dakota Technical Institute, our #1 best value for diesel mechanics technology/technician in South Dakota. Set in the city of Rapid City, Western Dakota Technical Institute is a small public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,294. Students borrow a median of $15,125 to complete the diesel mechanics technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, diesel mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Western Dakota Technical Institute generally make around $38,031. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value diesel 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. Typical student debt for diesel mechanics technology/technician graduates is $12,000. Diesel Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of $47,080 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
Southeast Technical Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in diesel mechanics technology/technician, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, Southeast Technical Institute is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,650. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the diesel mechanics technology/technician program here. Diesel Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Southeast Technical Institute earn a median of $46,262 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 3 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.
