2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s
14
Ranked Colleges
1,547
Degrees Awarded
$23,800
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
With 129,869 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, general studies is the 5th most popular major in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 3,607 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,547 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,046 and $29,021 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general studies programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The general studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s”.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s”.
Top 14 Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 356 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying general studies list, Columbia College Missouri has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 6 of the 8,347 students enrolled at Columbia College Missouri were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $750. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Columbia College Missouri does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Columbia College Missouri]](/colleges/columbia-college-missouri/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the #2 spot on the list. UND is a fairly large school located in Grand Forks, North Dakota that handed out 99 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UND also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 13,615 students enrolled at UND, 796 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 395 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,112. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of North Dakota Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 14 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, South Dakota State University landed the #3 spot on the list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 25 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
South Dakota State also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2.According to our most recent data, South Dakota State University supports 11,405 students, and 369 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 158 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,731. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school handed out 102 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
Mizzou did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Among the 31,089 students enrolled at University of Missouri - Columbia, 5 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,384. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Mizzou]](/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school awarded 346 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
UNOMAHA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, University of Nebraska at Omaha supports 15,892 students, and 928 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 488 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,364. To help with additional expenses, 75 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Saint Louis University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. Saint Louis University is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying general studies list, SLU has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Saint Louis University supports 12,229 students, and 5 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,162. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Saint Louis University Veteran Student Life Report
University of Mary came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Mary is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bismarck, North Dakota. It awarded 20 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UMary did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, University of Mary supports 3,799 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,000. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UMary]](/colleges/university-of-mary/student-life/veterans/)
University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Kearney, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school handed out 53 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
UNK also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #9.According to our most recent data, UNK supports 6,225 students, and 183 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 71 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,539. In addition to receiving other benefits, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Wichita State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 82 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
WSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.According to our most recent data, WSU supports 14,999 students, and 577 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 385 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,488. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. WSU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
Southeast Missouri State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. Cape Girardeau, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 132 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree vets studying general studies list, Southeast Missouri State University has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 10,001 students enrolled at Southeast Missouri State University, 344 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 143 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,052. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Southeast Missouri State University Veteran Student Life Report
Emporia State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Emporia, Kansas, this medium-sized public school handed out 34 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2020-2021.
ESU also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10.According to our most recent data, Emporia State University supports 5,828 students, and 127 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 54 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,878. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
Minot State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. MSU is a public institution located in Minot, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
MSU also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Of the 2,920 students enrolled at MSU, 198 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 115 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,267. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Fontbonne University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fontbonne University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 13 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Fontbonne University also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 31 of the 1,112 students enrolled at Fontbonne University were GI Bill® students, of which 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,147. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad 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 Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #14, Mayville State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for General Studies for a Bachelor’s list. Mayville State University is a small public school situated in Mayville, North Dakota. It awarded 25 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Mayville State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list.Of the 1,168 students enrolled at Mayville State University, 48 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,070. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Mayville State University Veteran Student Life Report
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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.
college factual
