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2026 Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools in South Dakota

[Agricultural Mechanization](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-mechanization/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong agricultural mechanization education at a price that pays off.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for agricultural mechanization students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools in South Dakota

2026 Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools in South Dakota

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in agricultural mechanization, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Agricultural Mechanization Schools

1

Mitchell Technical Institute
Mitchell, SD

$7,524 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,730 Avg Student Debt

$50,743 Median Earnings (10yr)

Mitchell Technical Institute earned the #1 spot for value among agricultural mechanization schools in South Dakota. Mitchell Technical Institute is a small public school located in the town of Mitchell. Students from in state pay about $7,524 in tuition and fees. Agricultural Mechanization graduates carry a median of $12,730 in student loans. Early-career agricultural mechanization graduates make about $55,301. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.

2

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

$9,299 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,000 Avg Student Debt

$55,070 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota State University earned it the #2 place for agricultural mechanization. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,299, compared with $12,809 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the agricultural mechanization program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural mechanization degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $47,492. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.

View All Agricultural Mechanization Rankings >

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 · 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.