2026 Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in South Dakota

General Mechanical Engineering is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best general mechanical engineering schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in South Dakota

Best Schools for General Mechanical Engineering in South Dakota

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall general mechanical engineering education in South Dakota.

Top Schools in General Mechanical Engineering

1

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology
Rapid City, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

93 General Mechanical Engineering Degrees Awarded

$69,667 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, our #1 school for general mechanical engineering. Set in the city of Rapid City, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a mid-sized public institution. About 52% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 93 general mechanical engineering students who graduated with this degree at South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general mechanical engineering program make about $69,667 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in general mechanical engineering from South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology

2

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

81 General Mechanical Engineering Degrees Awarded

$67,791 Median Starting Salary

South Dakota State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general mechanical engineering, ranking #2. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. About 62% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 81 general mechanical engineering students who graduated with this degree at South Dakota State University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, general mechanical engineering degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $67,791. South Dakota State University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. More information about a degree in general mechanical engineering from South Dakota State University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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.