2023 Best Value Colleges for Geography (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
19
Ranked Colleges
288
Degrees Awarded
$13,300
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 4,954 people earned their degree in geography, making the major the 159th most popular in the United States.
Across the Plains States region, there were 288 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geography. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geography programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the geography program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Geography Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geography Schools 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for Geography (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Twin Cities has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,698 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geography at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $11,005 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geography at Mizzou
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Macalester College landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 15 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Macalester, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,926 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Macalester College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Geography at Macalester
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 12 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UNI also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $10,513 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at UNI
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 12 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,554 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Iowa.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Geography at Iowa
Northwest Missouri State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northwest is a medium-sized school located in Maryville, Missouri that handed out 4 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwest, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $9,906 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwest.
Read more about Geography at Northwest Missouri State University
With a ranking of #7, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Dakota is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, UND has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Dakota is $12,394 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.
Full University of North Dakota Geography Report
Park University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Parkville, Missouri, and it awarded 35 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, Park University has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,020 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Park University.
Full Park University Geography Report
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,692 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at Minnesota State University - Mankato
Saint Cloud State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
St. Cloud State University also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $10,348 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at Saint Cloud State University
With a ranking of #11, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 11 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
KU also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend University of Kansas is $15,666 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Geography at KU
Gustavus Adolphus College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Gustavus Adolphus also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Gustavus Adolphus College is $15,735 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geography at Gustavus Adolphus College
University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
UNL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,672 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 85%.
Read more about Geography at UNL
South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. South Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 16 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at South Dakota State, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $14,171 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
Read more about Geography at South Dakota State
University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNOMAHA, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nebraska at Omaha is $10,578 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UNOMAHA Geography Report
Kansas State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 8 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
K -State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $13,436 for plains states region geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Kansas State University Geography Report
University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 4 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UMKC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $12,724 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Read full report on Geography at UMKC
Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
Missouri State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State University - Springfield is $12,381 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full Missouri State Geography Report
With a ranking of #19, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 7 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UST MN is $32,436 for Plains States Region Geography students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UST MN Geography 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
- *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 Couleur.
