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2024 Best Schools for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region for Bachelor's Degrees

144 Colleges
$13,016 Avg Net Price (With Aid)*
64% Discount Rate*

With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Due to the amount of income-based financial aid available, many 'high-priced' schools are more affordable than you think.

In This Year's Value Report:

Choosing the Best School for You

We analyzed 144 schools across the Plains States Region to determine which have the best value Bachelor's Degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.

Our Methodology

The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking is to look at the school's average net price for students with families that make $48-$75k a year. The net price is the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.

To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

To learn more, visit our best value ranking methodology page.

Additional Rankings

You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.

Without Aid Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
With Aid (All Income Levels) Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
With Aid (Income $0-$30k) Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
With Aid (Income $30-$48k) Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
With Aid (Income $75-$110k) Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
With Aid (Income Over $110k) Best Value Bachelor's Degrees
To get a better picture of the best value schools for your income range or for whether or not you'll receive aid, click on one of the tiles above. Are you more interested in the best value schools in your area? Try narrowing this list by location. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.

Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.

Best Value Bachelor's Degree Schools (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Washington University in St Louis tops this year’s ranking as the best value (income $48-$75k) school for bachelor’s degrees in the Plains States Region for overall quality. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.

Not only is Washington University in St Louis a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Missouri for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,248.

Full Washington University in St Louis Value Report

2

The quality degree programs at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region. UMN Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Not only is University of Minnesota - Twin Cities a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $11,603.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Value Report

3

The quality degree programs at Iowa State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region. Located in Ames, Iowa, the school is a large public institution.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Iowa State University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Iowa. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,717.

Read full value report on Iowa State University

4

The quality degree programs at Missouri University of Science and Technology helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region. This medium-sized public school is located in Rolla, Missouri.

Missouri University of Science and Technology has the honor of being ranked #2 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $12,597.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Value Report

5
UMSL crest
University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

The quality degree programs at University of Missouri - St Louis helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Missouri - St Louis is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $8,724.

Read full value report on University of Missouri - St Louis

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Crookston did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. Crookston, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Minnesota - Crookston is ranked #21 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $7,705.

Read full value report on University of Minnesota - Crookston

7

University of Minnesota - Morris came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. UMN Morris is located in Morris, Minnesota and has a small student population. It is a public school.

University of Minnesota - Morris has the honor of being ranked #28 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,859.

Learn More About Value at University of Minnesota - Morris

8

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #8 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

University of Missouri - Columbia has the honor of being ranked #3 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,056.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Value Report

9
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Capella University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the school is a large private for-profit institution.

Capella University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $14,255.

Read full value report on Capella University

10
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

Carleton College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.

Carleton College has the honor of being ranked #2 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $15,054.

Learn More About Value at Carleton College

10

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #10 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. UNL is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Not only is University of Nebraska - Lincoln a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Nebraska for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $15,526.

Read full value report on University of Nebraska - Lincoln

12
Valley City State University crest
Valley City State University
Valley City, North Dakota

Valley City State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Valley City State University is a small public school situated in Valley City, North Dakota.

Valley City State University has the honor of being ranked #4 in North Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,402.

Full Valley City State University Value Report

13
UNI crest
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Northern Iowa is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $14,236.

Learn More About Value at University of Northern Iowa

14
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. St. Olaf is located in Northfield, Minnesota and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.

St Olaf College has the honor of being ranked #5 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,712.

Learn More About Value at St Olaf College

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in Duluth, Minnesota.

University of Minnesota - Duluth has the honor of being ranked #8 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,300.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Value Report

16
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Kirksville, Missouri.

Not only is Truman State University a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Missouri for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $10,901.

Full Truman State University Value Report

17

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Kansas City, Missouri.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Missouri - Kansas City is ranked #6 for quality in the state of Missouri. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,002.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Value Report

18
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa.

Not only is University of Iowa a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Iowa for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $18,317.

Learn More About Value at University of Iowa

19
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Bellevue, Nebraska.

Not only is Bellevue University a great value, but it is also ranked #3 in Nebraska for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $15,881.

Learn More About Value at Bellevue University

20

University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. UNOMAHA is located in Omaha, Nebraska and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Nebraska at Omaha is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Nebraska. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,312.

Full University of Nebraska at Omaha Value Report

21
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. MSU is located in Minot, North Dakota and has a small student population. It is a public school.

Minot State University has the honor of being ranked #5 in North Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,718.

Read full value report on Minot State University

22
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas.

Not only is University of Kansas a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Kansas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $48-$75k per year is $17,163.

Learn More About Value at University of Kansas

23

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.

Not only is Minnesota State University - Mankato a great value, but it is also ranked #9 in Minnesota for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,499.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Value Report

24
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #24, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large public school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Not only is University of North Dakota a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in North Dakota for overall quality. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $15,914.

Read full value report on University of North Dakota

25
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #25, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region list. K -State is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas.

Kansas State University has the honor of being ranked #2 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $48-$75k a year pay an annual average net price of $16,707.

Read full value report on Kansas State University

View Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Schools (Income $48-$75k) Nationwide >

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Honorable Mentions

These schools also performed well in our Best Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region ranking:

Rank College Location Value
26 North Dakota State University - Main Campus Fargo, ND Value Report
27 Bismarck State College Bismarck, ND Value Report
28 Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Value Report
29 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO Value Report

More Rankings >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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