2026 Best Value Machine Shop Technology/Assistant Schools in Kentucky
[Machine Shop Technology/Assistant](/majors/production-product-development/precision-metal-working/machine-shop-technology-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong machine shop technology/assistant education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for machine shop technology/assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Machine Shop Technology/Assistant Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in machine shop technology/assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Machine Shop Technology/Assistant Schools
Our analysis ranked Southcentral Kentucky Community And Technical College the best value for a degree in machine shop technology/assistant in Kentucky. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Southcentral Kentucky Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Students borrow a median of $9,413 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Early-career machine shop technology/assistant graduates make about $49,879. That is a strong return on a $9,413 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Hazard Community And Technical College earned it the #2 place for machine shop technology/assistant. Located in the town of Hazard, Hazard Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,212 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Hazard Community And Technical College generally make around $32,626. That is a strong return on a $12,212 median debt.
Southeast Kentucky Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in machine shop technology/assistant, landing the #3 spot this year. Southeast Kentucky Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Cumberland. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $9,687. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Southeast Kentucky Community And Technical College generally make around $30,566. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Somerset Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value machine shop technology/assistant schools. Somerset Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Somerset. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates carry a median of $8,439 in student loans. Early-career machine shop technology/assistant graduates make about $41,415. Set against $8,439 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Owensboro Community And Technical College earned it the #5 place for machine shop technology/assistant. Owensboro Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Owensboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Students borrow a median of $7,475 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Owensboro Community And Technical College generally make around $45,366. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hopkinsville Community College placed #6 among the best values for machine shop technology/assistant. Hopkinsville Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hopkinsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates carry a median of $13,269 in student loans. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates of Hopkinsville Community College earn a median of $43,678 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ashland Community And Technical College placed #7 among the best values for machine shop technology/assistant. Ashland Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Ashland. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,500 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Early-career machine shop technology/assistant graduates make about $36,796. Set against $5,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
West Kentucky Community And Technical College came in at #8 for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. West Kentucky Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Paducah. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates carry a median of $8,250 in student loans. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates of West Kentucky Community And Technical College earn a median of $35,603 early in their careers. Set against $8,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Henderson Community College came in at #9 for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. Located in the rural area of Henderson, Henderson Community College is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, compared with $6,432 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $13,528. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates of Henderson Community College earn a median of $40,259 early in their careers. Set against $13,528 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Elizabethtown Community And Technical College earned the #10 position for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. Set in the city of Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $7,166. Early-career machine shop technology/assistant graduates make about $50,941. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Maysville Community And Technical College earned the #11 position for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. Maysville Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Maysville. Students from in state pay about $4,728 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Students borrow a median of $9,820 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates of Maysville Community And Technical College earn a median of $36,394 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,820 median debt.
Madisonville Community College landed the #12 spot for machine shop technology/assistant value this year. Set in the town of Madisonville, Madisonville Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,728, while out-of-state students pay about $6,432. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $10,985. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Madisonville Community College generally make around $41,084. That is a strong return on a $10,985 median debt.
Gateway Community And Technical College landed the #13 spot for machine shop technology/assistant value this year. Set in the suburb of Florence, Gateway Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,728, with out-of-state students paying around $6,432. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $9,041. Machine Shop Technology/assistant graduates of Gateway Community And Technical College earn a median of $42,233 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,041 median debt.
Bluegrass Community And Technical College came in at #14 for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. Set in the city of Lexington, Bluegrass Community And Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,808, with out-of-state students paying around $6,512. Students borrow a median of $10,684 to complete the machine shop technology/assistant program here. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Bluegrass Community And Technical College generally make around $46,133. That is a strong return on a $10,684 median debt.
Jefferson Community And Technical College earned the #15 position for value in machine shop technology/assistant this year. Jefferson Community And Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Louisville. In-state tuition and fees average $4,808, with out-of-state students paying around $6,512. Typical student debt for machine shop technology/assistant graduates is $6,794. Soon after graduation, machine shop technology/assistant degree recipients from Jefferson Community And Technical College generally make around $44,346. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 15 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.
