2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Library & Information Science is the 124th most popular major in the country with 5,403 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, library and information science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $41,496 and had an average of $36,654 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 301 library and information science graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,600 and $33,408 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 289 library and information science graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,438 and $39,783 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 5 colleges that offered a degree in library and information science. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great library and information science programs and 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 library and information science program at the school. 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 Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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 Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree library science students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 5 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

$22,648 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$45,696 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 8 masters’s library science degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Northern Iowa are $22,648, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Northern Iowa Library & Information Science Report

#2

Emporia State University

Emporia, Kansas

#1 in overall quality

$22,058 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$40,341 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Emporia State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. ESU is a medium-sized school located in Emporia, Kansas that handed out 148 masters’s library science degrees in 2019-2020.

ESU also made our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at ESU are $22,058, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Library & Information Science at ESU

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

#2 in overall quality

$27,613 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$41,937 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 37 masters’s library science degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Library & Information Science 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 University of Iowa are $27,613.

Read more about Library & Information Science at Iowa

#4

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

#3 in overall quality

$17,400 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$46,407 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend St Catherine University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 34 degrees to qualified masters’s library science students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region master’s degree library science students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Kate’s has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at St Catherine University are $17,400, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full St. Kate’s Library & Information Science Report

#5

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

#4 in overall quality

$16,394 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$41,565 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Central Missouri. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Library Science Schools for a Master’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Warrensburg, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s library science degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCM, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Library & Information Science Master’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCM are $16,394, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Library & Information Science at University of Central Missouri

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Library & Information Science (Income $0-$30k)

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 Diliff.

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