by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Plains States Region Schools For The Money For Those Making $75-$110k for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 135 schools across the Plains States Region to determine which have the best value Associate Degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $75-$110k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Metropolitan Community College to be the best value (income $75-$110k) school for associate degrees in the Plains States Region in this year’s ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Omaha, Nebraska.
Metropolitan Community College has the honor of being ranked #1 in Nebraska for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,790.
Out of the 135 associate degree schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, St Charles Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. SCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Cottleville, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, St Charles Community College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of Missouri. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,887.
Out of the 135 associate degree schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Ranken Technical College landed the #3 spot on the list. Ranken Technical College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Not only is Ranken Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Missouri for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $15,665.
Out of the 135 associate degree schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Garden City Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Garden City Community College is located in Garden City, Kansas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Garden City Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Kansas for overall quality. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,324.
The quality degree programs at Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region. MCC is a fairly large public school situated in Kansas City, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Missouri. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,086.
Full Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City Value Report
Hennepin Technical College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Hennepin Technical College is a public institution located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Hennepin Technical College is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Minnesota. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,573.
Bismarck State College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Not only is Bismarck State College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in North Dakota for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $12,597.
St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, the school is a small public institution.
Not only is St Cloud Technical and Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #10 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,715.
Des Moines Area Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. This large public school is located in Ankeny, Iowa.
Des Moines Area Community College has the honor of being ranked #1 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,017.
Barton County Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. Barton Community College is located in Great Bend, Kansas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Barton County Community College has the honor of being ranked #9 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $10,430.
Dakota County Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. DCTC is located in Rosemount, Minnesota and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Dakota County Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $14,050.
Century College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. Century College is a medium-sized public school located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Century College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Minnesota. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,468.
Salina Area Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Salina, Kansas, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Salina Area Technical College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,730.
State Fair Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Sedalia, Missouri 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, State Fair Community College is ranked #16 for quality in the state of Missouri. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $7,996.
Cowley County Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Arkansas City, Kansas.
Not only is Cowley County Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #15 in Kansas for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $9,377.
Western Iowa Tech Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #16. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Sioux City, Iowa.
Not only is Western Iowa Tech Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Iowa for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $9,882.
Missouri Southern State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Joplin, Missouri.
Missouri Southern State University has the honor of being ranked #9 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $13,063.
Read full value report on Missouri Southern State University
With a ranking of #18, Lake Area Technical Institute did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. LATI is located in Watertown, South Dakota and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lake Area Technical Institute is ranked #2 for quality in the state of South Dakota. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $16,723.
Southeast Community College Area came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Southeast Community College Area has the honor of being ranked #3 in Nebraska for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $11,629.
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology ranked #20 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. WSU Tech is located in Wichita, Kansas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $14,282.
Full Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology Value Report
With a ranking of #21, Normandale Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Normandale Community College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $15,028.
Northeast Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region list. Northeast is a medium-sized public school situated in Norfolk, Nebraska.
Northeast Community College has the honor of being ranked #4 in Nebraska for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,611.
Northwest Kansas Technical College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Goodland, Kansas, the school is a small public institution.
Northwest Kansas Technical College has the honor of being ranked #6 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $13,389.
Saint Louis Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Bridgeton, Missouri, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Saint Louis Community College has the honor of being ranked #15 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $75-$110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,867.
Dodge City Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Dodge City, Kansas.
Dodge City Community College has the honor of being ranked #19 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $75-$110k per year is $8,927.
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These schools also performed well in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | St Catherine University | Saint Paul, MN | Value Report |
| 27 | North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park, MN | Value Report |
| 28 | Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls, MN | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.