2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 29,936 people earned their degree in general education, making the major the 35th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, general education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,138 and had an average of $29,674 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Plains States region, there were 3,296 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,903 and $30,143 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 334 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general education program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 17 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Mizzou has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,145 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Mizzou.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about General Education at University of Missouri - Columbia
Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Bellevue University landed the #2 spot on the list. Bellevue University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Bellevue, Nebraska. It awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Bellevue University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bellevue University is $16,615 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on General Education at Bellevue University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bethany Lutheran College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, BLC has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,373 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Bethany Lutheran College.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Gustavus Adolphus College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Gustavus Adolphus is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Peter, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Gustavus Adolphus has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,548 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Gustavus Adolphus College.
The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - St Louis. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Missouri - St Louis is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $7,894 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Saint Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $23,734 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SLU.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on General Education at Saint Louis University
Kansas State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. K -State is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 19 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
K -State also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $16,889 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Southwest Minnesota State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marshall, Minnesota. It awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Southwest Minnesota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $13,988 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about General Education at Southwest Minnesota State University
Midland University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Midland University is a small school located in Fremont, Nebraska that handed out 44 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Midland U also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Midland U is $20,360 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Hamline University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Hamline not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,963 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Hamline University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #11, Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Concordia College Moorhead is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 3 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia College Moorhead also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $20,924 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Concordia College Moorhead.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Education at Concordia College Moorhead
With a ranking of #12, Buena Vista University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
BVU also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for BVU is $15,292 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Lindenwood University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lindenwood University, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,340 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lindenwood University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Harris - Stowe State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this small public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Harris - Stowe State University is $12,564 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about General Education at Harris - Stowe State University
Rockhurst University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Rockhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Rockhurst also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Rockhurst is $19,220 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Education at Rockhurst University
Loras College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Loras also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loras College is $18,438 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #17, North Central University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.
North Central University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,389 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend North Central University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Webster University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Webster University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 21 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Webster, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Webster is $21,689 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Peru State College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Peru, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,616 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Peru State.
Avila University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
Avila also took the #24 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,008 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Avila University.
Dordt University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Dordt is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Sioux Center, Iowa. It awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Dordt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dordt University is $22,821 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Missouri Baptist University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
MBU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Baptist University is $20,200 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on General Education at Missouri Baptist University
Benedictine College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Benedictine College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Atchison, Kansas. It awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Benedictine College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Benedictine College is $20,810 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #24, William Woods University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. William Woods is a small school located in Fulton, Missouri that handed out 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
William Woods also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend William Woods is $23,510 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Crown College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Crown College is located in Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.
Crown also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $25,011 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Crown College.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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