Mines Tops the State and Nation in College Rankings

Once again, South Dakota Mines has topped the state and nation in a wide array of college rankings. Mines measured well in both return on investment (ROI) and overall academic quality against other universities in South Dakota and across the country.

A study by Georgetown University that ranks 4,500 colleges in the country on ROI showed South Dakota Mines is the top four-year public university in the state with 40-year lifetime average earnings of over $1.52 million. This number is nearly half a million dollars more than the second South Dakota school on the list. The Georgetown study also ranks Mines in the top 27 four-year public colleges in the nation for a lifetime return on investment. South Dakota Mines topped other schools on the list such as Rutgers, Purdue, Texas A&M, and the University of Minnesota.

For the eighth consecutive year, SmartAsset ranks South Dakota Mines number one among the six schools statewide included in the study for best value colleges. SmartAsset also puts Mines number one in South Dakota for starting salary and in the top 30 schools in the country for ROI.

Mines also ranked well for return on investment in graduate degrees.  MastersProgramGuide.com ranks many of Mines' graduate programs among the top in the nation. The organization places Mines' Master of Science in Chemical Engineering second in the nation, above Stanford, University of Minnesota and Texas A&M. The website states, “Mines has expanded to become one of the area's leading research, science, and engineering universities. It prepares future leaders and problem-solvers who will innovate and impact the world. Students benefit from small class sizes; committed professors; and rigorous, engaging coursework. The university also offers excellent internship opportunities, along with many student development organizations and programs."

AffordableSchools.net ranks Mines fourth in the nation for return on investment. The website notes that Mines has “a very low 15-to-1 student to faculty ratio, an 80% admissions rate for applicants and a 97% placement rate for graduates.” The website also notes that students in South Dakota and seven other surrounding states pay in-state tuition.

Learn.org ranked Mines third in the nation on its list of the 50 best STEM schools in the U.S. The website states, “Mines offers a collaborative approach to research, so you'll find yourself working alongside your peers, faculty, and industry experts to study topics like live cell imaging, flying robots, and earthquake detection. Outside of the classroom, you can expand your knowledge in STEM fields through student organizations like the 3-D Printing Club, Aero Design, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Association for Women Geoscientists, and Cyber Defense Team.”

Successfulstudent.org ranks Mines among the best universities in the country to study Artificial Intelligence (AI). Mines' degrees in computer engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering give students a strong foundation on-par with the top schools in the nation. Mines students get hands-on training in robotics, cyber security, data science, machine learning, systems engineering, avionics, and a host of other disciplines needed to build the next generation of AI.

“Any prospective college student who loves STEM can benefit from our world-class education and excellent return on investment,” says Mines President Jim Rankin. “We give our graduates the tools needed to change the world. Our alumni are leaders in their fields. They work in places like NASA, Fortune 100 firms, and at the top research institutions in the nation.”