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2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

133 Ranked Colleges
12,364 Degrees Awarded
$12,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Health Professions is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 2nd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 934,088 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, health professions graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $44,506 and had an average of $32,284 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 78,565 health professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,167 and $31,974 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 12,364 health professions graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 133 colleges that offer a degree in health professions. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality health professions programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the health professions program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region.

Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Health Professions in the Plains States Region

#1

North Dakota State College of Science

Wahpeton, North Dakota
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State College of Science. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Located in Wahpeton, North Dakota, this small public school handed out 94 diplomas to qualified associates’s health professions students in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State College of Science also took the #7 spot in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State College of Science is $10,940 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read more about Health Professions at North Dakota State College of Science

#2

Century College

White Bear Lake, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Century College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Century College is a medium-sized school located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota that handed out 357 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Century College, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Century College is $10,808 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Full Century College Health Professions Report

#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern Health Sciences University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. NWHSU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NWHSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Health Professions at Northwestern Health Sciences University

#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rochester Community and Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Rochester, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s health professions degrees to 197 students in 2019-2020.

Rochester Community and Technical College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rochester Community and Technical College is $14,088 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read more about Health Professions at Rochester Community and Technical College

#5

Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Coon Rapids, Minnesota
#20 in overall quality

Out of the 133 schools in the Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Anoka-Ramsey Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Coon Rapids, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s health professions degrees to 201 students in 2019-2020.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus also made our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is $11,890 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Full Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus Health Professions Report

#6

Lake Area Technical Institute

Watertown, South Dakota
#17 in overall quality

Lake Area Technical Institute landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Watertown, South Dakota, this small public school handed out 89 diplomas to qualified associates’s health professions students in 2019-2020.

LATI also took the #17 spot in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,939 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students per year to attend Lake Area Technical Institute.

Read more about Health Professions at Lake Area Technical Institute

#7

Saint Louis Community College

Saint Louis, Missouri
#23 in overall quality

Saint Louis Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s health professions degrees to 251 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree health professions students list, Saint Louis Community College has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $6,796 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students per year to attend Saint Louis Community College.

Full Saint Louis Community College Health Professions Report

#8

Rasmussen University - Minnesota

St. Cloud, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

Rasmussen University - Minnesota ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Rasmussen University - Minnesota is a small private for-profit school situated in St. Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 818 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Rasmussen University - Minnesota not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Rasmussen University - Minnesota is $18,586 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Rasmussen University - Minnesota Health Professions Report

#9

Hutchinson Community College

Hutchinson, Kansas
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Hutchinson Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Hutchinson Community College is a small public school situated in Hutchinson, Kansas. It awarded 192 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Hutchinson Community College is $7,922 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Read more about Health Professions at Hutchinson Community College

#10

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
#24 in overall quality

Inver Hills Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. IHCC is a small public school situated in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. It awarded 87 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

IHCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for IHCC is $11,486 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read full report on Health Professions at Inver Hills Community College

#22 in overall quality

Flint Hills Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Emporia, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s health professions degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

Flint Hills Technical College also took the #22 spot in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,170 for plains states region associate degree health professions students per year to attend Flint Hills Technical College.

Read more about Health Professions at Flint Hills Technical College

#12

Clarkson College

Omaha, Nebraska
#5 in overall quality

Clarkson College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Clarkson College is a small school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 62 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarkson College also made our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Clarkson College is $20,123 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.

Read more about Health Professions at Clarkson College

#13

Southeast Technical College

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
#15 in overall quality

Southeast Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Technical College is a public institution located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 144 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Southeast Tech also took the #15 spot in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Tech is $14,633 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Read full report on Health Professions at Southeast Technical College

With a ranking of #14, Southeast Community College Area did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Community College Area is a medium-sized school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 181 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,059 for plains states region associate degree health professions students per year to attend Southeast Community College Area.

Full Southeast Community College Area Health Professions Report

#15

Hennepin Technical College

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
#25 in overall quality

Hennepin Technical College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and it awarded 63 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Hennepin Technical College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hennepin Technical College is $11,796 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read full report on Health Professions at Hennepin Technical College

Western Iowa Tech Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #16. Sioux City, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s health professions degrees to 123 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Western Iowa Tech Community College is $7,201 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Full Western Iowa Tech Community College Health Professions Report

Neosho County Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. Neosho County Community College is a public institution located in Chanute, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 112 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Neosho County Community College is $8,552 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read more about Health Professions at Neosho County Community College

#18

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
Top 25% in overall quality

North Hennepin Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. North Hennepin Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It awarded 72 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend North Hennepin Community College is $10,284 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Full North Hennepin Community College Health Professions Report

Top 20% in overall quality

St Cloud Technical and Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. St Cloud Technical and Community College is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 128 associates’s health professions degrees to qualified students.

St Cloud Technical and Community College also claimed a top spot on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend St Cloud Technical and Community College is $9,019 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read full report on Health Professions at St Cloud Technical and Community College

#20

Dickinson State University

Dickinson, North Dakota
#14 in overall quality

Dickinson State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. DSU is a small school located in Dickinson, North Dakota that handed out 28 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree health professions students list, DSU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DSU is $10,855 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Read more about Health Professions at DSU

#21

Lake Region State College

Devils Lake, North Dakota

Lake Region State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Devils Lake, North Dakota, this small public school handed out 42 degrees to qualified associates’s health professions students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,564 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students per year to attend Lake Region State College.

Full Lake Region State College Health Professions Report

#2 in overall quality

Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. Nebraska Methodist College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 63 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Nebraska Methodist College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Nebraska Methodist College is $25,311 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Health Professions at Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health

#23

Dakota State University

Madison, South Dakota
#11 in overall quality

Dakota State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Dakota State is a small school located in Madison, South Dakota that handed out 20 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

Dakota State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Health Professions Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,691 for plains states region associate degree health professions students per year to attend Dakota State.

Read more about Health Professions at Dakota State University

Northwest Iowa Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public school situated in Sheldon, Iowa. It awarded 63 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northwest Iowa Community College is $12,125 for plains states region associate degree health professions students.

Read full report on Health Professions at Northwest Iowa Community College

Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Health Professions Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Alexandria, Minnesota, and it awarded 72 associates’s health professions degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend ATCC is $13,550 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Health Professions students.

Full ATCC Health Professions Report

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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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