by our College Data Analytics TeamWith 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. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking is part of that endeavor. You may be surprised that some normally high-priced schools offer very generous financial aid packages to those who qualify.
In This Year's Value Report:
After analyzing 139 schools in the Plains States Region , we came up with our list of those that offered the best value Associate Degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking is to look at the school's average net price - 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.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
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.
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.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
St Charles Community College tops this year’s ranking as the best value (with aid) school for associate degrees in the Plains States Region for overall quality. SCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Cottleville, Missouri.
St Charles Community College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $2,364 a year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Metropolitan Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. 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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $4,916.
A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list means Ranken Technical College is a great place for students working on their degree. Ranken Technical College is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Ranken Technical College has the honor of being ranked #2 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $13,227.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hennepin Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the school is a small public institution.
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. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $11,194 a year.
The quality degree programs at State Technical College of Missouri helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region. State Technical College of Missouri is a small public school located in Linn, Missouri.
Not only is State Technical College of Missouri a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Missouri for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $7,361.
Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Kansas City, 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, Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Missouri. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $7,288.
Read full value report on Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City
With a ranking of #7, Des Moines Area Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. DMACC is a large public school situated in Ankeny, Iowa.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Des Moines Area Community College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Iowa. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $9,667.
With a ranking of #8, St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.
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 net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $8,404 a year.
Read full value report on St Cloud Technical and Community College
With a ranking of #9, Garden City Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Garden City, Kansas 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, Garden City Community College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $7,694 a year.
Bismarck State College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Located in Bismarck, North Dakota, the school is a small public institution.
Bismarck State College has the honor of being ranked #1 in North Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $10,249.
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. WSU Tech is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas.
Not only is Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Kansas for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $9,823 a year.
Learn More About Value at Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Dakota County Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. Dakota County Technical College is a small public school located in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Dakota County Technical College has the honor of being ranked #6 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $11,472 a year.
Southeast Community College Area did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Southeast Community College Area is a medium-sized public school located in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Not only is Southeast Community College Area a great value, but it is also ranked #3 in Nebraska for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $7,593 a year.
Ozarks Technical Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. OTC is a fairly large public school situated in Springfield, Missouri.
Not only is Ozarks Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Missouri for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $6,669.
Learn More About Value at Ozarks Technical Community College
Salina Area Technical College landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Salina, Kansas.
Salina Area Technical College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $9,022.
Northwest Kansas Technical College landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Goodland, Kansas.
Not only is Northwest Kansas Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Kansas for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $9,486.
Learn More About Value at Northwest Kansas Technical College
Century College landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is 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. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $10,901 a year.
Lake Area Technical Institute landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. 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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $13,069.
With a ranking of #19, Missouri Southern State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Joplin, 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, Missouri Southern State University is ranked #9 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $9,703 a year.
Read full value report on Missouri Southern State University
State Fair Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. State Fair Community College is a public institution located in Sedalia, Missouri.
State Fair Community College has the honor of being ranked #16 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $6,244 a year.
Normandale Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. Normandale Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Bloomington, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Normandale Community College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of Minnesota. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $12,354.
Northeast Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. Northeast is located in Norfolk, Nebraska and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Northeast Community College has the honor of being ranked #4 in Nebraska for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $9,158 a year.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking. Fergus Falls, Minnesota 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, Minnesota State Community and Technical College is ranked #18 for quality in the state of Minnesota. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $10,119.
Learn More About Value at Minnesota State Community and Technical College
With a ranking of #24, Barton County Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Barton County Community College is a small public school located in Great Bend, Kansas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Barton County Community College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $10,149 a year.
With a ranking of #25, Mitchell Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region list. Located in Mitchell, South Dakota, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Mitchell Technical College is ranked #3 for quality in the state of South Dakota. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $12,190.
View Best Value Associate Degree Schools (With Aid) Nationwide >
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These schools also performed well in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in the Plains States Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Marshalltown Community College | Marshalltown, IA | Value Report |
| 27 | Cowley County Community College | Arkansas City, KS | Value Report |
| 28 | Southeastern Community College | West Burlington, IA | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.