by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Value Plains States Region Schools for a Doctorate ranking - to help you make that decision.
In This Year's Value Report:
We analyzed 61 schools across the Plains States Region to determine which have the best value Doctor's Degree programs. Our ranking for the best value schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
To determine the value of a school in our Best Doctor's Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, we first add average tuition, fees, and room and board costs (without aid) together. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a quality 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.
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:
Our 2024 rankings named Mount Marty University the best value (no aid) school in the Plains States Region for students working on their doctor’s degree. Located in Yankton, South Dakota, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Mount Marty University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in South Dakota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $18,204 per year for graduate students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Mary. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. University of Mary is a small private not-for-profit school located in Bismarck, North Dakota.
University of Mary has the honor of being ranked #1 in North Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $21,294 a year.
Out of the 61 doctor’s degree schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Capella University landed the #3 spot on the list. Capella University is a large private for-profit school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Capella University is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost without aid for the school is $20,784 per year for graduate students.
The quality degree programs at Walden University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region. Walden University is a large private for-profit school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Not only is Walden University a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $19,931 a year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dakota State University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Madison, South Dakota.
The average cost without aid for the school is $19,079 per year for graduate students.
The College of Saint Scholastica ranked #6 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
The College of Saint Scholastica has the honor of being ranked #1 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $26,198 a year.
With a ranking of #7, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Fargo, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
North Dakota State University - Main Campus has the honor of being ranked #2 in North Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $21,106 a year.
Full North Dakota State University - Main Campus Value Report
Saint Cloud State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Saint Cloud, Minnesota 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, Saint Cloud State University is ranked #5 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,759 a year.
Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Springfield, Missouri, the school is a large public institution.
Missouri State University - Springfield has the honor of being ranked #6 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,054 a year.
Learn More About Value at Missouri State University - Springfield
South Dakota State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. South Dakota State is located in Brookings, South Dakota and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
South Dakota State University has the honor of being ranked #2 in South Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,971 per year for graduate students.
Hamline University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Hamline University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $21,382 a year.
With a ranking of #12, Bellevue University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bellevue, Nebraska.
Bellevue University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Nebraska for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,413 a year.
With a ranking of #13, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Bethel University Minnesota is ranked #6 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $22,850 a year.
Webster University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Webster University is ranked #5 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $24,620 a year.
With a ranking of #15, Winona State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in Winona, Minnesota.
Not only is Winona State University a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $22,106 per year for graduate students.
Doane University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Doane Crete is located in Crete, Nebraska and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Doane University is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Nebraska. The average cost without aid for the school is $18,886 per year for graduate students.
William Woods University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #17. William Woods is located in Fulton, Missouri and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, William Woods University is ranked #11 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,390 per year for graduate students.
Evangel University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Evangel is located in Springfield, Missouri and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Evangel University a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Missouri for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,878 per year for graduate students.
Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #19 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. MSU Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Minnesota State University - Moorhead is ranked #9 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $20,882 a year.
Maryville University of Saint Louis did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, the school is a fairly large private not-for-profit institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Maryville University of Saint Louis is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $27,696 a year.
Read full value report on Maryville University of Saint Louis
Creighton University landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the school is a medium-sized private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Creighton University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Nebraska for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $30,796 a year.
Lindenwood University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lindenwood University is ranked #10 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $19,984 a year.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota ranked #23 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. SMU MN is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winona, Minnesota.
Not only is Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $20,810 a year.
Southwest Baptist University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Located in Bolivar, Missouri, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Southwest Baptist University a great value, but it is also ranked #14 in Missouri for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $13,538 a year.
Rockhurst University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Doctor’s Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Kansas City, Missouri.
Not only is Rockhurst University a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Missouri for overall quality. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $27,134 a year.
View Best Value Doctor’s Degree Schools (No Aid) Nationwide >
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.