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2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

45 Ranked Colleges
686 Degrees Awarded
$15,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Early Childhood Education is the 34th most popular major in the country with 31,017 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,388 early childhood education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 686 early childhood education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 45 colleges that offered a degree in early childhood education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent early childhood education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the early childhood education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Early Childhood 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 Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Early Childhood Education in the Plains States Region

#1

Martin Luther College

New Ulm, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Martin Luther College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Martin Luther College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New Ulm, Minnesota. It awarded 18 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

MLC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for MLC is $19,703 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at MLC

#2

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#12 in overall quality

Out of the 45 schools in the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Minot State University landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Minot, North Dakota, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

MSU also took the #12 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minot State University is $11,898 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Full MSU Early Childhood Education Report

#3

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 61 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $19,252 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

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 more about Early Childhood Education at South Dakota State University

#4

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Dakota. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. UND is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s child development degrees to qualified students.

UND also took the #6 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UND is $15,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

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%.

Full University of North Dakota Early Childhood Education Report

#5

Mayville State University

Mayville, North Dakota
#19 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mayville State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Mayville, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

Mayville State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mayville State University is $12,378 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Full Mayville State University Early Childhood Education Report

#22 in overall quality

Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Marshall, Minnesota. It awarded 45 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Southwest Minnesota State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Early Childhood 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 Child development students.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Southwest Minnesota State University

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#1 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. UNI is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 36 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students per year to attend UNI.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full UNI Early Childhood Education Report

#8

Wayne State College

Wayne, Nebraska
#18 in overall quality

Wayne State College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. Wayne State College is located in Wayne, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s child development degrees to qualified students.

WSC also took the #18 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WSC is $13,765 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

Full Wayne State College Early Childhood Education Report

#10 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

MSU Moorhead not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend MSU Moorhead is $16,893 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 full report on Early Childhood Education at MSU Moorhead

#10

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#11 in overall quality

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,267 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students per year to attend Saint Cloud State University.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at St. Cloud State University

#17 in overall quality

Missouri State University - Springfield ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Springfield, Missouri, this large public school awarded 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s child development students in 2019-2020.

Missouri State also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Missouri State University - Springfield is $16,725 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Missouri State University - Springfield

#12

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#14 in overall quality

Metropolitan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. Metro State is a medium-sized school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 11 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Metro State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Metro State is $15,225 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Metropolitan State University

#13

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Bellevue University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Bellevue, Nebraska. It awarded 1 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $15,616 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Bellevue University

#3 in overall quality

Iowa State University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Iowa State University is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 29 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $15,496 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Child development students.

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

Full Iowa State Early Childhood Education Report

#15

University of Mary

Bismarck, North Dakota
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, University of Mary did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Bismarck, North Dakota, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s child development students in 2019-2020.

UMary also took the #13 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,410 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend University of Mary.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 University of Mary Early Childhood Education Report

#16

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

With a ranking of #16, Park University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Park University is a fairly large school located in Parkville, Missouri that handed out 9 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,579 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend Park University.

Full Park University Early Childhood Education Report

#17

Peru State College

Peru, Nebraska

Peru State College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Peru State is a public institution located in Peru, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,058 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend Peru State.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Peru State College

#18

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southeast Missouri State University is $12,774 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Full Southeast Missouri State University Early Childhood Education Report

#19

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, Nebraska
#21 in overall quality

College of Saint Mary did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Saint Mary also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend College of Saint Mary is $14,325 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%. 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.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at College of Saint Mary

#20

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Missouri Western is a small public school situated in Saint Joseph, Missouri. It awarded 25 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Western is $10,958 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Missouri Western

#21

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri

With a ranking of #21, Lindenwood University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,491 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend Lindenwood University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Lindenwood University

#22

Harris - Stowe State University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Harris - Stowe State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. Harris - Stowe State University is a small school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 1 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Harris - Stowe State University is $10,551 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students.

Full Harris - Stowe State University Early Childhood Education Report

#23

Walden University

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Walden University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Walden University is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s child development degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Walden University

#24

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
#8 in overall quality

University of Kansas landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Lawrence, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

KU also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $18,918 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend KU.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at KU

#25

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

With a ranking of #25, Wichita State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Wichita, Kansas, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,382 for plains states region bachelor’s degree child development students per year to attend WSU.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Wichita State University

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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 Vgrigas.

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