2026 Best Value Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/heavy-industrial-equipment-maintenance/heavy-equipment-maintenance-technology-technician/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 15 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician schools.
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2026 Best Value Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician Schools
For return on investment in heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician, no school beat Rend Lake College this year. Located in the rural area of Ina, Rend Lake College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,500, with out-of-state students paying around $7,800. Students borrow a median of $8,688 to complete the heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician degree recipients from Rend Lake College generally make around $61,677. Set against $8,688 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician will find it at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Rice Lake, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,926, while out-of-state students pay about $7,169. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $11,000 in student loans. Early-career heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician graduates make about $55,793. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College earned it the #3 place for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Green Bay. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,960, while out-of-state students pay about $7,203. Students borrow a median of $14,997 to complete the heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician degree recipients from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College generally make around $42,016. Set against $14,997 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Blackhawk Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician, landing the #4 spot this year. Blackhawk Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Janesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,747, while out-of-state students pay about $6,803. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,715 in student loans. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates of Blackhawk Technical College earn a median of $44,256 early in their careers. Set against $13,715 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Chippewa Valley Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,844, compared with $7,087 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician degree recipients from Chippewa Valley Technical College generally make around $56,053. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Western Technical College La Cross landed the #6 spot for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician value this year. Western Technical College La Cross is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of La Crosse. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,820, with out-of-state students paying around $7,078. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $9,166 in student loans. Soon after graduation, heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician degree recipients from Western Technical College La Cross generally make around $46,591. That is a strong return on a $9,166 median debt.
Ferris State University placed #7 among the best values for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician. Set in the town of Big Rapids, Ferris State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,778. Typical student debt for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician graduates is $18,125. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates of Ferris State University earn a median of $60,432 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,125 median debt. Ferris State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #8 spot for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician value this year. Set in the city of Madison, Madison Area Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,977, compared with $7,141 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for heavy equipment maintenance technology/technician graduates is $16,812. Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/technician graduates of Madison Area Technical College earn a median of $44,279 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), 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 · 15 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.