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2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

27 Ranked Colleges
334 Degrees Awarded
$19,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Education is the 28th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Plains States region, there were 3,296 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 334 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education 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 general education program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Education Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education in the Plains States Region (With Aid)

#1

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#21 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Missouri - St Louis is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 24 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

UMSL also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $9,435 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend UMSL.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis General Education Report

#2

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Bellevue University landed the #2 spot on the list. Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Bellevue University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $15,616 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Full Bellevue University General Education Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Mizzou is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 17 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid list, Mizzou has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $16,001 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about General Education at University of Missouri - Columbia

#4

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Kansas State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid. Kansas State University is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kansas State University is $18,285 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at Kansas State University

#5

Harris - Stowe State University

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harris - Stowe State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Harris - Stowe State University is a small public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 18 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Harris - Stowe State University is $10,551 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Full Harris - Stowe State University General Education Report

#6

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Bethany Lutheran College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Bethany Lutheran College is a small school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 1 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at BLC, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BLC is $16,368 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full BLC General Education Report

#7

Midland University

Fremont, Nebraska
#3 in overall quality

Midland University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Midland U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fremont, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Midland U, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $21,128 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend Midland University.

Full Midland U General Education Report

#22 in overall quality

Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Southwest Minnesota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $14,397 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Read full report on General Education at Southwest Minnesota State University

#9

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

Hamline University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Hamline did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hamline is $20,866 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on General Education at Hamline University

#10

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

Gustavus Adolphus College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Gustavus Adolphus College is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Gustavus Adolphus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $19,093 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Gustavus Adolphus College.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 General Education at Gustavus Adolphus

#11

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa
#15 in overall quality

Buena Vista University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Buena Vista University is a small school located in Storm Lake, Iowa that handed out 9 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

BVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Buena Vista University is $17,544 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full BVU General Education Report

#12

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#16 in overall quality

Lindenwood University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 13 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,491 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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 full report on General Education at Lindenwood University

#13

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Concordia College Moorhead is a small school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 3 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia College Moorhead, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Concordia College Moorhead is $23,029 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia College Moorhead General Education Report

#14

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

Loras College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general education students in 2019-2020.

Loras did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Loras is $20,676 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Loras

#15

North Central University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#12 in overall quality

North Central University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. North Central University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 4 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central University also took the #12 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Central University is $21,142 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on General Education at North Central University

#16

Peru State College

Peru, Nebraska

With a ranking of #16, Peru State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Peru, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,058 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Peru State.

Read full report on General Education at Peru State

#17

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#9 in overall quality

Webster University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Webster University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 21 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid list, Webster has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Webster University is $22,768 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 General Education at Webster

#18

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#2 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

SLU also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis University is $28,188 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on General Education at SLU

#19

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

Avila University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Avila is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 1 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Avila also took the #24 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Avila is $17,048 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Full Avila University General Education Report

#20

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, Missouri
#17 in overall quality

Rockhurst University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Rockhurst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rockhurst is $21,116 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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%.

Read more about General Education at Rockhurst

#21

Missouri Baptist University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#19 in overall quality

Missouri Baptist University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MBU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MBU is $20,444 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid.

Full MBU General Education Report

#22

Tabor College

Hillsboro, Kansas
#20 in overall quality

Tabor College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tabor is located in Hillsboro, Kansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Tabor did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tabor College is $24,221 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid.

Read more about General Education at Tabor College

#23

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

Dordt University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Sioux Center, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Dordt also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $25,102 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend Dordt.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Dordt University

#24

William Woods University

Fulton, Missouri
#23 in overall quality

William Woods University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid list. William Woods is a small school located in Fulton, Missouri that handed out 1 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

William Woods not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $24,593 for plains states region bachelor’s degree general education students with aid per year to attend William Woods.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 General Education at William Woods University

#25

Benedictine College

Atchison, Kansas
#14 in overall quality

Benedictine College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Benedictine College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Atchison, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Benedictine College also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $23,011 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students with aid per year to attend Benedictine College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Benedictine College

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.

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