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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

133 Ranked Colleges
11,549 Degrees Awarded
$9,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 310,601 education students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 32,592 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,310 and $28,608 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 11,549 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 $0-$30k” ranking looked at 133 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Education Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 391 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #2 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,266 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Education at UMN Twin Cities

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Morris. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Morris, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,230 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Morris.

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%.

Read full report on Education at UMN Morris

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 133 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #3 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 141 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $7,443 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#4

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Olaf 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 $0-$30k. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Olaf, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,459 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend St Olaf College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full St Olaf College Education Report

#5

Valley City State University

Valley City, North Dakota
#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Valley City State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This small school is located in Valley City, North Dakota, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Valley City State University has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Valley City State University is $7,026 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Education at Valley City State University

#9 in overall quality

Iowa State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 268 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $10,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Education at Iowa State

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 573 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Education at University of Northern Iowa

#6 in overall quality

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, this large public school awarded 324 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

UNL also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $12,216 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Education at UNL

#9

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
Top 25% in overall quality

Minot State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minot State University is a public institution located in Minot, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,923 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MSU.

Read full report on Education at Minot State University

#7 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 84 students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also took the #7 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $11,524 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.

Read full report on Education at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

#11

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#17 in overall quality

Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Winona State University is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 273 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Winona State also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $12,381 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Winona State University

#24 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 247 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $10,940 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Mizzou Education Report

#13

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, North Dakota

Dickinson State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Dickinson, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,402 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Dickinson State University.

Full DSU Education Report

#14

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 193 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $10,688 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Education at Saint Cloud State University

#15

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, Nebraska

College of Saint Mary landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Mary is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,944 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Mary.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read full report on Education at College of Saint Mary

#16

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#20 in overall quality

University of North Dakota ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 159 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UND, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $11,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Full University of North Dakota Education Report

#17

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota

With a ranking of #17, Mayville State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mayville State University is located in Mayville, North Dakota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 63 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Mayville State University is $7,679 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Mayville State University Education Report

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 338 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,464 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FHSU.

Full FHSU Education Report

Top 20% in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 206 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Minnesota State Mankato is also in the top of our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,057 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Minnesota State Mankato

#20

Emporia State University

Emporia, Kansas
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Emporia State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. ESU is located in Emporia, Kansas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 218 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,624 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emporia State University.

Full Emporia State University Education Report

#21

Wayne State College

Wayne, Nebraska

Wayne State College landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wayne State College is a small school located in Wayne, Nebraska that handed out 157 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,333 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WSC.

Read more about Education at WSC

#22

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

With a ranking of #22, Bemidji State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 129 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $10,632 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Education at Bemidji State University

University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school awarded 219 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNOMAHA is $10,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UNOMAHA Education Report

With a ranking of #24, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 247 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northwest is $9,990 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Education at Northwest Missouri State University

#25

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, Minnesota

Bethany Lutheran College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,038 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend BLC.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Education at BLC

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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