2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 310,601 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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 master’s degree level specifically, there were 14,968 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 110 colleges that offer a degree 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.
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 education program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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More Ways to Rank Education Schools
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 Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 392 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMN Twin Cities are $28,845, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 110 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #2 spot on the list. UMN Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Duluth are $28,606, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 110 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Valley City State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Valley City State University is a public institution located in Valley City, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Valley City State University are $7,473.
Read full report on Education at Valley City State University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Truman State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Truman State is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 77 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Truman State University are $16,551.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 411 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, Mizzou has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - Columbia are $27,193, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #6, University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 268 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Missouri - St Louis are $30,154.
Iowa State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school awarded 101 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
Iowa State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Iowa State University are $25,948, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Minot State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Minot State University are $9,936, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Dickinson State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Dickinson, North Dakota, and it awarded 5 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, DSU has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at DSU are $6,576, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Saint Cloud State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 170 students in 2019-2020.
St. Cloud State University also took the #15 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at St. Cloud State University are $12,904.
University of North Dakota came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Grand Forks, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 284 students in 2019-2020.
UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UND are $18,326.
College of Saint Mary landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. College of Saint Mary is a small school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 32 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Saint Mary are $17,124, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #13, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 69 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Dakota State University, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at North Dakota State University - Main Campus are $11,589.
Bemidji State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bemidji State University is a small public school situated in Bemidji, Minnesota. It awarded 40 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Bemidji State University are $9,112, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 131 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNI are $22,648, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #16, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 222 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UNOMAHA are $16,374, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Education at University of Nebraska at Omaha
Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 170 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Minnesota State University - Mankato are $8,788.
Read full report on Education at Minnesota State University - Mankato
With a ranking of #17, Pittsburg State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, and it awarded 223 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Pittsburg State University are $19,320, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Southwest Minnesota State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 140 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Southwest Minnesota State University are $8,526, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Education at Southwest Minnesota State University
With a ranking of #20, Wayne State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wayne, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 151 students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Wayne State College are $9,597.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UNL is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 167 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UNL also made our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNL are $19,513, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Education at University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Emporia State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emporia State University is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 464 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at ESU are $22,058, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Winona State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Winona State is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Winona State University are $12,378, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #24, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Hays, Kansas, this fairly large public school handed out 576 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at FHSU are $11,376.
Northwest Missouri State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. This medium-sized school is located in Maryville, Missouri, and it awarded 395 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwest Missouri State University are $6,673, but some majors have different tuition rates.
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Best Education Master's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
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Education students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States Region
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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