2026 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Petroleum Engineering](/majors/engineering/petroleum-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong petroleum engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for petroleum engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in petroleum engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools
Missouri University Of Science And Technology earned the #1 spot for value among petroleum engineering schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,984, with out-of-state students paying around $33,248. Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $28,950 in student loans. Petroleum Engineering graduates of Missouri University Of Science And Technology earn a median of $69,670 early in their careers. Set against $28,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Dakota came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value petroleum engineering schools. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,951, while out-of-state students pay about $15,570. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the petroleum engineering program here. Soon after graduation, petroleum engineering degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $73,821. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Petroleum Engineering Schools by State
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 · 3 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.
