College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Popular Colleges for Political Science & Government in the Plains States Region

106 Ranked Colleges
2,307 Degrees Awarded
$29,900 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Political Science Major 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 “Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Political Science & Government is the 20th most popular major in the country with 49,282 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,387 and had an average of $23,175 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 2,307 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,104 and $23,948 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 106 colleges that offer a degree in political science and government. To top this list, a school must have a successful political science and government program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Political Science Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.

Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region”.

1

Out of the 106 schools in the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #1 spot on the list. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 259 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

2
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 106 schools in the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s political science degrees to 136 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa Political Science & Government Report

3
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Kansas. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Lawrence, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s political science degrees to 111 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Political Science & Government at KU

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s political science degrees to 134 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Mizzou

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Washington University in St Louis

6

University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. UNL is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at UNL

7

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 74 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UNOMAHA

8

Iowa State University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 69 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Iowa State University

9
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Kansas State University is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 55 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

10
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

With a ranking of #10, St Olaf College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s political science degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Political Science & Government at St Olaf College

11

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 47 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

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 Political Science & Government at UMKC

12
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 42 degrees to qualified ’s political science students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full Saint Louis University Political Science & Government Report

12

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 University of Minnesota - Duluth

14
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s political science degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Macalester

14

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Missouri - St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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%.

Full UMSL Political Science & Government Report

14
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #14, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 39 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

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 Political Science & Government at Saint Cloud State University

17

With a ranking of #17, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. University of St Thomas Minnesota is a medium-sized school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 34 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of St Thomas Minnesota

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. University of Northern Iowa is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 full report on Political Science & Government at UNI

19
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Grinnell, Iowa, and it awarded 32 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Grinnell Political Science & Government Report

19

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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 more about Political Science & Government at Minnesota State University - Mankato

19
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Truman State University is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 32 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, 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 Truman State

22
USD crest
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. USD is a medium-sized school located in Vermillion, South Dakota that handed out 30 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full University of South Dakota Political Science & Government Report

23
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

Drake University ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 27 degrees to qualified ’s political science students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Political Science & Government at Drake University

23

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri State University - Springfield is located in Springfield, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

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%.

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

25
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Creighton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 25 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Creighton Political Science & Government Report

25

North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #25. North Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Fargo, North Dakota. It awarded 25 ’s political science degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

25
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

With a ranking of #25, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Political Science Major in the Plains States Region list. Gustavus Adolphus is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s political science degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Gustavus Adolphus

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options