2027 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-medicine/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 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 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. Students from in state pay about $17,214 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $88,898 early in their careers. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
Iowa State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for value graduates is $23,496. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $96,477. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Kansas State University one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for value graduates is $23,546. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $93,100. Set against $23,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Missouri Columbia, which ranked #4. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $96,842. That is a strong return on a $21,818 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
