2026 Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Agricultural Mechanization](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-mechanization/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 28 schools to find the best return on investment for agricultural mechanization students.
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2026 Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agricultural mechanization, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools
Our analysis ranked Southeast Community College Area the best value for a degree in agricultural mechanization in the The Plains States Region. Southeast Community College Area is a large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Students from in state pay about $3,444 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,032 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Mechanization graduates carry a median of $14,935 in student loans. Early-career agricultural mechanization graduates make about $44,877. Set against $14,935 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fort Scott Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural mechanization schools. Fort Scott Community College is a small public school located in the town of Fort Scott. In-state tuition and fees average $3,390, compared with $3,840 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,990 to complete the agricultural mechanization program here. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Fort Scott Community College earn a median of $56,322 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,990 median debt.
Garden City Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural mechanization schools. Set in the town of Garden City, Garden City Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,690, compared with $4,320 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Mechanization graduates carry a median of $11,084 in student loans. Early-career agricultural mechanization graduates make about $35,476. That is a strong return on a $11,084 median debt.
Kirkwood Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural mechanization schools. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,176, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for agricultural mechanization graduates is $15,779. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $54,829 early in their careers. Set against $15,779 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar one of the best values for agricultural mechanization. Set in the rural area of Calmar, Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,780 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,770. Typical student debt for agricultural mechanization graduates is $7,500. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar earn a median of $56,331 early in their careers. Set against $7,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
North Dakota State College Of Science placed #6 among the best values for agricultural mechanization. Set in the town of Wahpeton, North Dakota State College Of Science is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,974, with out-of-state students paying around $6,973. Typical student debt for agricultural mechanization graduates is $12,553. Early-career agricultural mechanization graduates make about $62,531. That is a strong return on a $12,553 median debt.
Linn State Technical College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural mechanization schools. Set in the rural area of Linn, Linn State Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,160, with out-of-state students paying around $14,610. Students borrow a median of $11,042 to complete the agricultural mechanization program here. Early-career agricultural mechanization graduates make about $45,538. That is a strong return on a $11,042 median debt.
Mitchell Technical Institute ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural mechanization schools. Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public school located in the town of Mitchell. In-state tuition and fees average $7,524. Typical student debt for agricultural mechanization graduates is $12,730. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Mitchell Technical Institute earn a median of $55,301 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,730 median debt.
University Of Nebraska Lincoln placed #9 among the best values for agricultural mechanization. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,434, with out-of-state students paying around $28,584. Students borrow a median of $23,750 to complete the agricultural mechanization program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural mechanization degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $59,052. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University placed #10 among the best values for agricultural mechanization. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Mechanization graduates carry a median of $19,344 in student loans. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $63,239 early in their careers. Set against $19,344 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Iowa State University placed #11 among the best values for agricultural mechanization. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for agricultural mechanization graduates is $20,946. Agricultural Mechanization graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $63,321 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,946 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
South Dakota State University landed the #12 spot for agricultural mechanization value this year. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Agricultural Mechanization graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, agricultural mechanization degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $47,492. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia earned the #13 position for value in agricultural mechanization this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $18,479 to complete the agricultural mechanization program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural mechanization degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $52,522. That is a strong return on a $18,479 median debt. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 28 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
