2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 253 schools in the Plains States Region to determine which ones were the best for veterans and active service men and women. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, whether or not the school has a student's veteran organization, and the school's overall quality.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our 2021 rankings named University of Minnesota - Twin Cities the best school in the Plains States Region for veterans working on their bachelor’s degree. UMN Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13,642 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Our most recent data shows that 824 of the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities were GI Bill® students, of which 585 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $15,664. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UMN Twin Cities also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list means Creighton University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Creighton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 2,520 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 8,770 students enrolled at Creighton, 279 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 241 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,534. To help with additional expenses, 34 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Creighton is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bellevue University. The school came in at #3 in the Plains States Region on this year’s best for vets ranking. Bellevue, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,587 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 1,566 of the 13,059 students enrolled at Bellevue University were GI Bill® students, of which 1,139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,020. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Out of the 253 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Fort Hays State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Hays, Kansas, the fairly large public school handed out 3,928 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 15,033 students enrolled at FHSU, 328 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 208 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,219. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #5 in the Plains States Region on this year’s best for vets ranking. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8,834 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Iowa State supports 31,822 students, and 824 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 455 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,422. In addition to receiving other benefits, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Iowa State is in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. UNL is located in Lincoln, Nebraska and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6,068 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 25,108 students enrolled at UNL, 687 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 406 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,191. In addition to receiving other benefits, 92 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UNL is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
University of Iowa landed the #7 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8,539 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 675 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 411 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. Iowa also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Webster University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. Webster is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3,758 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Our most recent data shows that 958 of the 8,197 students enrolled at Webster were GI Bill® students, of which 818 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,137. During this same period, 16 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Webster does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Webster also did well on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #9, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school located in Fargo, North Dakota that handed out 3,320 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 12,846 students enrolled at North Dakota State University, 518 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 194 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,101. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, North Dakota State University also did well on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #10 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Columbia, Missouri, the large public school handed out 7,938 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 31,089 students enrolled at Mizzou, 635 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 394 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,075. During this same period, 14 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. Mizzou also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Winona State University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. Located in Winona, Minnesota, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,901 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Winona State supports 7,106 students, and 174 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 88 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,169. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Winona State also did well on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Alexandria Technical & Community College is a small public school located in Alexandria, Minnesota that handed out 414 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,549 students enrolled at ATCC, 116 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 63 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,129. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read full report on Alexandria Technical & Community College
Saint Cloud State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,764 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 317 of the 11,841 students enrolled at St. Cloud State University were GI Bill® students, of which 200 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,467. St. Cloud State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Lindenwood University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Charles, Missouri, and it awarded 2,820 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,382 students enrolled at Lindenwood University, 430 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 346 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,366. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Lindenwood University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Central Missouri landed the #15 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. UCM is a public institution located in Warrensburg, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,811 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UCM supports 9,959 students, and 569 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 345 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,983. UCM does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
University of North Dakota came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3,360 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 13,615 students enrolled at UND, 727 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 410 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,644. UND does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. UND excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
With a ranking of #17, The College of Saint Scholastica did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,354 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 154 of the 3,712 students enrolled at St. Scholastica were GI Bill® students, of which 78 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,745. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, St. Scholastica is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Concordia University, Saint Paul landed the #18 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 1,624 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Concordia University, Saint Paul supports 5,585 students, and 193 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 143 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,286. In addition to receiving other benefits, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
University of Northern Iowa ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 3,061 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UNI supports 9,507 students, and 270 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 130 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,980. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. UNI also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
University of Kansas ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, the large public school awarded 7,267 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, KU supports 26,744 students, and 873 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 660 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,622. In addition to receiving other benefits, 6 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great veterans ranking, KU is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Mount Mercy University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 680 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 1,705 students enrolled at Mount Mercy, 58 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,552. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 1,969 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,642 students enrolled at Missouri University of Science and Technology, 304 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 199 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,638. To help with additional expenses, 13 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%. Missouri University of Science and Technology excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list.
Read full report on Missouri University of Science and Technology
Bethel University Minnesota did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #23. Bethel University Minnesota is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,152 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 3,814 students enrolled at Bethel University Minnesota, 91 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 60 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,585. To help with additional expenses, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Bethel University Minnesota does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Bethel University Minnesota also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the fairly large public school awarded 3,253 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UNOMAHA supports 15,892 students, and 968 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 572 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,468. During this same period, 67 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
University of Minnesota - Crookston landed the #25 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Crookston, Minnesota, the small public school handed out 479 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,530 students enrolled at UMN Crookston, 83 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 47 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,960. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Rest of the Best 38 Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 38 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for Veterans ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | Upper Iowa University | Fayette, IA |
| 40 | Minnesota State University - Moorhead | Moorhead, MN |
| 41 | Saint Louis University | Saint Louis, MO |
| 42 | Dakota State University | Madison, SD |
| 43 | University of Minnesota - Duluth | Duluth, MN |
| 44 | Metropolitan State University | Saint Paul, MN |
| 45 | Drake University | Des Moines, IA |
| 46 | Southeast Technical College | Sioux Falls, SD |
| 47 | Bismarck State College | Bismarck, ND |
| 48 | Chadron State College | Chadron, NE |
| 49 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE |
| 50 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | Rapid City, SD |
| 51 | Park University | Parkville, MO |
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| State |
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| South Dakota |
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
- Removed schools reflect instances of new data identified post-publication that warrant removal of a school from this year’s ranking.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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