by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Plains States Region Colleges ranking.
We analyzed 258 colleges and universities across the Plains States Region to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2025 rankings named Washington University in St Louis the best school in the Plains States Region in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. During the early years of their career, graduates from WUSTL make an average of $86,182 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. The school came in at #2 in the Plains States Region on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 4 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mayo Clinic School of Medicine make an average of $79,652 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #3 in the Plains States Region on this year’s overall quality ranking.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UMN Twin Cities make an average of $69,020 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It ranked #4 on our 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $50,535 during the early years of their career..
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ranken Technical College. The school came in at #5 in the Plains States Region on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Ranken Technical College make an average of $55,955 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Iowa did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Iowa go into careers with an average salary of $64,762 during the early years of their career.
Iowa State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. During the early years of their career, graduates from Iowa State make an average of $63,386 a year.
With a ranking of #8, Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Goldfarb School of Nursing go into careers with an average salary of $84,393 during the early years of their career.
University of Nebraska Medical Center ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 2 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UNMC go into careers with an average salary of $76,833 during the early years of their career.
University of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #10 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UST MN is $73,739 during the early years of their career.
Creighton University landed the #11 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Creighton make an average of $73,911 per year during the early years of their career.
Rasmussen University - Minnesota did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,080 during the early years of their career..
University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mizzou make an average of $63,403 per year during the early years of their career.
Martin Luther College landed the #14 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from MLC is $47,491 during the early years of their career.
University of Kansas came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from KU make an average of $61,945 a year.
Clarkson College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Clarkson College is $64,876 during the early years of their career.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UNL is $56,887 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #18, Ozark Christian College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,297 during the early years of their career..
Bismarck State College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from BSC make an average of $54,277 per year during the early years of their career.
Allen College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Allen College make an average of $71,261 per year during the early years of their career.
Kansas City Art Institute landed the #21 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Kansas City Art Institute is $37,032 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #22, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $70,783 during the early years of their career..
Carleton College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
The student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Carleton go into careers with an average salary of $75,525 during the early years of their career.
Rasmussen University - North Dakota ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Rasmussen University - North Dakota make an average of $39,080 per year during the early years of their career.
Herzing University - Minneapolis landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Herzing University - Minneapolis is $36,909 during the early years of their career.
Not only did these schools make the top 39 list, but they also landed in the top 20% of this year’s ranking:
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These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN |
| 41 | Drake University | Des Moines, IA |
| 42 | Johnson County Community College | Overland Park, KS |
| 43 | St Catherine University | Saint Paul, MN |
| 44 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus | Fargo, ND |
| 45 | Bellevue University | Bellevue, NE |
| 46 | Central Lakes College - Brainerd | Brainerd, MN |
| 47 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA |
| 48 | Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato, MN |
| 49 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD |
| 50 | Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota | Winona, MN |
| 51 | University of Northwestern - St Paul | Saint Paul, MN |
| 52 | North Dakota State College of Science | Wahpeton, ND |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.