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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

18 Ranked Colleges
1,582 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

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 General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 133,583 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

Across the Plains States region, there were 3,869 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,582 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general studies 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 general studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Studies 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 General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #1 spot on the list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 100 students in 2019-2020.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $13,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Missouri - Columbia General Studies Report

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school handed out 318 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2019-2020.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,833 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNOMAHA.

Read full report on General Studies at UNOMAHA

#3

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, Nebraska
#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend College of Saint Mary. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Saint Mary also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,206 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Saint Mary.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 General Studies at College of Saint Mary

#4

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Dakota. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of North Dakota is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 110 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UND also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,109 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of North Dakota.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Studies at University of North Dakota

#5

Fontbonne University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fontbonne University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

Fontbonne University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,096 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Fontbonne University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Fontbonne University General Studies Report

#6

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri
#9 in overall quality

Southeast Missouri State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 172 students in 2019-2020.

Southeast Missouri State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $12,882 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Studies at Southeast Missouri State University

#7

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Minot State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Minot State University is a public institution located in Minot, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minot State University is $11,401 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Minot State University General Studies Report

#8

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas
#11 in overall quality

Wichita State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. WSU is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 89 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,386 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wichita State University.

Read full report on General Studies at WSU

#9

Emporia State University

Emporia, Kansas
#13 in overall quality

Emporia State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Emporia State University is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ESU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend ESU is $14,465 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Studies at Emporia State University

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public institution located in Kearney, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNK, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,343 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UNK.

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%.

Full UNK General Studies Report

#11

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#5 in overall quality

Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, SLU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis University is $23,734 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full SLU General Studies Report

#12

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota
#17 in overall quality

Mayville State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Mayville State University is a public institution located in Mayville, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Mayville State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mayville State University is $13,323 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Studies at Mayville State University

#13

University of Mary

Bismarck, North Dakota
#14 in overall quality

University of Mary ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UMary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bismarck, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMary is $14,382 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 UMary General Studies Report

#14

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Brookings, South Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $19,326 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies 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%.

Read full report on General Studies at South Dakota State

#15

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota
#7 in overall quality

University of South Dakota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. Vermillion, South Dakota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USD, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $18,850 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend USD.

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%.

Read full report on General Studies at USD

#16

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

Grand View University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Grand View University is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.

Grand View University also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Grand View University is $18,213 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Studies at Grand View University

#17

Columbia College

Columbia, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

Columbia College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Columbia College is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 377 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.

Columbia College Missouri also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia College is $23,784 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Columbia College General Studies Report

#18 in overall quality

Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 9 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Drury University - CCPS also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Drury University - CCPS is $13,166 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Studies at Drury University - CCPS

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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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