2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
With 365,980 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 26,613 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,368 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts 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 liberal arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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.
Best Value Liberal Studies 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 liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 80 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State.
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 3.3% 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fort Hays State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fort Hays State University is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 249 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, FHSU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,464 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FHSU.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNI is a medium-sized public school situated in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It awarded 76 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Northern Iowa
Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies 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 Iowa landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 190 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $12,975 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - St Louis. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMSL is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 97 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMSL, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - St Louis is $7,401 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Missouri Southern State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Missouri Southern State University is a medium-sized school located in Joplin, Missouri that handed out 79 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Missouri Southern also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Missouri Southern is $7,882 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #7, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMKC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 151 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMKC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,065 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City.
Pittsburg State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Pittsburg, Kansas. It awarded 53 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Pitt State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pittsburg State University is $10,638 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Pittsburg State University
Emporia State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies 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 10 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
ESU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Emporia State University is $11,624 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
University of Kansas landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 104 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $14,387 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
William Jewell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Liberty, Missouri, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
William Jewell also took the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,989 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend William Jewell College.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Springfield, Missouri, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Missouri State also took the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State is $12,527 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #13, Lincoln University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Jefferson City, Missouri, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
LU Missouri also took the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $4,603 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lincoln University.
Metropolitan State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Metro State is a public institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Metro State has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Metropolitan State University is $14,388 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
University of Mary landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bismarck, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMary has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMary is $12,953 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Grand View University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 22 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Grand View University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,481 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grand View University.
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
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Best Liberal Arts Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
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Liberal Arts students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income less than $30k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income Over $110k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income exceeding $110k in the Plains States Region
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income $30-$48k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts 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.
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