Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Political Science & Government

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government in the Plains States Region (With Aid)

68 Ranked Colleges
2,262 Degrees Awarded
$15,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 48,597 people earned their degree in political science and government, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,977 and had an average of $22,822 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,385 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,521 and $23,503 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,262 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 68 colleges that offer a degree in political science and government. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science and government programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the political science and government 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.

More Ways to Rank Political Science & Government Schools

The political science 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 “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid”.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government in the Plains States Region (With Aid)

#1

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Truman State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Truman State is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 32 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Truman State also took the #19 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Truman State is $12,462 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Truman State

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Morris, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Morris is $11,412 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Minnesota - Morris

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 97 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $15,496 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Iowa State

#4

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 68 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #4 spot on the list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,435 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend UMSL.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UMSL

#5

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Cloud State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 39 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also took the #23 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Cloud State University is $14,267 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Read more about Political Science & Government at St. Cloud State University

#6

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school awarded 261 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,740 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Twin Cities Political Science & Government Report

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school awarded 149 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, Mizzou has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $16,001 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Mizzou

#8

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 143 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also took the #13 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $19,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 more about Political Science & Government at University of Iowa

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. North Dakota State University is a public institution located in Fargo, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $16,584 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Nebraska at Omaha is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,040 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at UNOMAHA

#11

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

With a ranking of #11, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 29 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UNI

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 13 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,221 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend Minnesota State Mankato.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato Political Science & Government Report

With a ranking of #13, Missouri Southern State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Missouri Southern State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Joplin, Missouri. It awarded 5 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri Southern is $9,625 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Missouri Southern State University

#14

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,738 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend UND.

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 Political Science & Government at University of North Dakota

#15

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #15, Washington University in St Louis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 91 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $26,869 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full WUSTL Political Science & Government Report

With a ranking of #16, University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. UNL is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 85 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid list, UNL has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,208 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Political Science & Government at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Duluth, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Political Science & Government at UMN Duluth

#18

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Bemidji State University

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Fort Hays State University is located in Hays, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for FHSU is $12,053 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at FHSU

With a ranking of #20, Northwest Missouri State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Northwest is located in Maryville, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Northwest Missouri State University is $12,354 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Northwest

#21

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. University of Missouri - Kansas City is located in Kansas City, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - Kansas City is $14,643 for plains states region bachelor’s degree political science students with aid.

Read more about Political Science & Government at University of Missouri - Kansas City

#22

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 20 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $17,656 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Winona State

#23

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $18,918 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full KU Political Science & Government Report

#24

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

Park University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Park University is a fairly large school located in Parkville, Missouri that handed out 5 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Park University is $15,579 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Park University

#25

Northern State University

Aberdeen, South Dakota

Northern State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Northern State University is a public institution located in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,851 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students with aid per year to attend Northern State University.

Read more about Political Science & Government at NSU

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).
  • 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

Featured Political and Social Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You