100 Best College Buys

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been named one of America’s 100 Best College Buys for the tenth consecutive year.

School of Mines 2005-06 graduates averaged starting salaries of nearly $50,000. More than 91 percent are working in their career fields or are pursuing graduate or professional degrees.

The survey reported average costs of attendance, including tuition, fees, room, and board. The survey found that the average 2007-08 cost of attendance based on the regular cost at a private institution and the out-of-state cost at a public institution is $26,190. School of Mines costs are $12,203 for South Dakota residents and $13,441 for non-residents.

This year’s America's 100 Best College Buys is the twelfth list published by Institutional Research & Evaluation, Inc., a research and consulting organization that specializes in the recruiting and retention of students for universities. Each year, the organization identifies the 100 colleges and universities in the United States that provide students the highest quality education at the lowest cost. The organization sends surveys to each institution that meets its criteria and makes selections for the list. This year, 1,152 universities responded to the survey.

Survey results showed that the average national ACT score for entering college freshmen was 23 and the average high school grade point average was 3.28. Entering freshman at the School of Mines earned an average ACT score of 25 and a GPA average of 3.53.

The School of Mines, located in Rapid City, South Dakota, offers an associate's degree; 16 undergraduate programs in engineering, science and interdisciplinary science; 11 master's degree programs; and six Ph.D. programs.

All of the School of Mines programs emphasize advanced science and math, and all combine classroom instruction with hands-on laboratory work. In addition, nearly 80 percent of School of Mines graduates gain relevant work experience through co-ops and internships.

A university or college must meet the following criteria to be eligible to be included as a Best Buy:

• Be an accredited, four-year institution offering bachelor's degrees.
• Offer full residential facilities including residence halls and dining services.
• Have had an entering freshman class in the fall of 2006 with a high school grade point average and/or SAT/ACT score equal to or above the national average for entering college freshmen.
• Have an out-of-state cost of attendance in 2007-08 for three-quarters or two semesters below the national average cost of attendance or not exceeding the national average cost by more than 10 percent.