2027 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-biomedical-and-clinical-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities tops our 2027 list of the best value value schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $114,606. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Midwest Institute one of the best values for value. Set in the suburb of Earth City, Midwest Institute is a small private for-profit institution. Value graduates carry a median of $15,950 in student loans. Value graduates of Midwest Institute earn a median of $31,586 early in their careers. Set against $15,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota State University earned it the #3 place for value. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,299, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Typical student debt for value graduates is $24,989. Value graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $51,260 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,989 median debt. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
