2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-biomedical-and-clinical-sciences/veterinary-sciences-veterinary-clinical-sciences-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value value schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 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 earned the #1 spot for value among 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. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Value graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $114,606. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Midwest Institute, which ranked #2. Midwest Institute is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Earth City. Typical student debt for value graduates is $15,950. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Midwest Institute generally make around $31,586. That is a strong return on a $15,950 median debt. Midwest Institute admits about 87% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Iowa State University one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Value graduates carry a median of $23,495 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $53,900. That is a strong return on a $23,495 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Missouri Columbia, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Value graduates carry a median of $21,818 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $53,134 early in their careers. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Value Schools by State
View All Value Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
