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2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

41 Ranked Colleges
2,296 Degrees Awarded
$11,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Computer Science is the 19th most popular major in the country with 53,722 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, computer science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $66,561 and had an average of $23,565 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 3,769 computer science graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,148 and $20,969 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,296 computer science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 41 colleges that offered a degree in computer science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality computer science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the computer science program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Computer Science Schools

The compsci school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 180 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, WUSTL has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $5,273 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.

Full Washington University in St Louis Computer Science Report

#2

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.

Carleton also took the #2 spot in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton College is $9,579 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Computer Science at Carleton College

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

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 for the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 462 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $7,266 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Computer Science at UMN Twin Cities

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Morris, Minnesota, this small public school handed out 22 degrees to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2019-2020.

UMN Morris did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Morris is $4,230 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about Computer Science at UMN Morris

Out of the 41 schools in the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #5 spot on the list. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 76 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

UMN Duluth also took the #15 spot in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $7,443 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at University of Minnesota - Duluth

Iowa State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Iowa State Computer Science Report

#7

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Olaf has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St Olaf College is $12,459 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about Computer Science at St Olaf College

#8

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa

With a ranking of #8, Grinnell College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Grinnell College is located in Grinnell, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Grinnell, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,945 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Grinnell College.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Grinnell College Computer Science Report

#9

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNI has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Read more about Computer Science at University of Northern Iowa

#10

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,688 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

Full St. Cloud State University Computer Science Report

North Dakota State University - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. North Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Fargo, North Dakota that handed out 85 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, North Dakota State University has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $11,524 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about Computer Science at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 81 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, UNOMAHA has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Full UNOMAHA Computer Science Report

#13

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized public school situated in Winona, Minnesota. It awarded 58 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

Winona State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $12,381 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%.

Full Winona State Computer Science Report

#14

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 67 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $7,401 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Computer Science at UMSL

#15

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota

Saint Johns University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Collegeville, Minnesota, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

SJU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SJU is $14,683 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SJU Computer Science Report

With a ranking of #16, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a public institution located in Marshall, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,801 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southwest Minnesota State University.

Read full report on Computer Science at Southwest Minnesota State University

#17

Concordia University, Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

Concordia University, Saint Paul came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Concordia University, Saint Paul is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

Concordia University, Saint Paul also made our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $13,423 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Concordia University, Saint Paul.

Read full report on Computer Science at Concordia University, Saint Paul

#18

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,632 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bemidji State University.

Read more about Computer Science at Bemidji State University

#19

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

UMKC also made our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $12,065 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Computer Science Report

#20

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UCM is $10,608 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Central Missouri Computer Science Report

Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Missouri State is a large public school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 62 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri State, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri State University - Springfield is $12,527 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Missouri State University - Springfield Computer Science Report

#22

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

Simpson College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Simpson College is located in Indianola, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k list, Simpson College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,357 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree CompSci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simpson College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Full Simpson College Computer Science Report

#23

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2019-2020.

SLU also made our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend SLU is $20,051 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Computer Science at SLU

#24

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota

Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Saint Peter, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2019-2020.

Gustavus Adolphus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Gustavus Adolphus College is $12,150 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Science at Gustavus Adolphus

Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CompSci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,484 for plains states region bachelor’s degree compsci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend MSU Moorhead.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at MSU Moorhead

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Notes and References

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).
  • 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%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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