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2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

27 Ranked Colleges
334 Degrees Awarded
$16,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 29,936 people earned their degree in general education, making the major the 35th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, general education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,138 and had an average of $29,674 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 3,296 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,903 and $30,143 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 Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 27 colleges that offered a degree in general education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Education Schools

The education 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 Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Mizzou is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 17 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $11,595 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at University of Missouri - Columbia

#2

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #2 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 education degrees in 2019-2020.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - St Louis is $6,838 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Education at University of Missouri - St Louis

#3

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Gustavus Adolphus College landed the #3 spot on the list. Gustavus Adolphus is located in Saint Peter, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gustavus Adolphus, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,669 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Gustavus Adolphus College.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Education at Gustavus Adolphus

#4

Bethany Lutheran College

Mankato, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bethany Lutheran College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students 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 estimated yearly cost for Bethany Lutheran College is $12,888 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Full BLC General Education Report

#5

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Louis University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

SLU also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $21,082 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Saint Louis University.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full SLU General Education Report

#6

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

K -State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,089 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend K -State.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about General Education at K -State

Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. 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 education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, Southwest Minnesota State University has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southwest Minnesota State University is $11,410 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Southwest Minnesota State University General Education Report

#8

Midland University

Fremont, Nebraska

With a ranking of #8, Midland University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Midland U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fremont, Nebraska. It awarded 44 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Midland U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,324 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Midland University.

Full Midland U General Education Report

#9

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lindenwood University is $13,918 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lindenwood University General Education Report

#10

Harris - Stowe State University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Harris - Stowe State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Harris - Stowe State University is a small public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 18 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Harris - Stowe State University is $10,233 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Education at Harris - Stowe State University

#11

Hamline University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Hamline University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Hamline is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 26 bachelors’s 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. It costs about $18,298 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Hamline University.

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 more about General Education at Hamline

#12

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Concordia College at Moorhead did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Concordia College Moorhead is located in Moorhead, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, Concordia College Moorhead has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia College at Moorhead is $17,927 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia College Moorhead General Education Report

#13

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bellevue, Nebraska, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Bellevue University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $13,777 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Education at Bellevue University

#14

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa

Buena Vista University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Storm Lake, Iowa, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

BVU also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for BVU is $12,773 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 General Education at BVU

#15

Rockhurst University

Kansas City, Missouri
#17 in overall quality

Rockhurst University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Rockhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees 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. It costs about $15,261 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Rockhurst.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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

#16

Peru State College

Peru, Nebraska

Peru State College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Peru, Nebraska, this small public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,946 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Peru State.

Read full report on General Education at Peru State College

#17

Missouri Baptist University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Missouri Baptist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. MBU is a small school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 15 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k list, MBU has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Baptist University is $18,011 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on General Education at Missouri Baptist University

#18

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Webster University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Webster is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 21 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Webster, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Webster University is $20,081 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Webster University

#19

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

Loras College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Loras is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dubuque, Iowa. It awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Loras not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $17,094 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Loras.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read more about General Education at Loras

#20

North Central University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, North Central University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s 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. It costs about $17,984 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend North Central University.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 North Central University General Education Report

#21

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Sioux Center, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dordt, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dordt is $22,177 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full Dordt General Education Report

#22

Avila University

Kansas City, Missouri
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Avila University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Avila is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kansas City, Missouri. It awarded 1 bachelors’s 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 $15,053 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Avila General Education Report

#23

William Woods University

Fulton, Missouri
#23 in overall quality

William Woods University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. William Woods is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fulton, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at William Woods, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $26,790 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William Woods.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on General Education at William Woods

#24

Benedictine College

Atchison, Kansas
#14 in overall quality

Benedictine College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Benedictine College is $18,932 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Benedictine College

#25

Tabor College

Hillsboro, Kansas
#20 in overall quality

Tabor College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Hillsboro, Kansas, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Tabor also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tabor is $22,858 for plains states region bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about General Education at Tabor

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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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