2026 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Rhetoric & Composition](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/rhetoric-and-composition/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong rhetoric & composition education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for rhetoric & composition students.
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2026 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the rhetoric & composition degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Minnesota Morris the best value for a degree in rhetoric & composition in the The Plains States Region. Located in the town of Morris, University Of Minnesota Morris is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,526, with out-of-state students paying around $16,710. Students borrow a median of $21,080 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Rhetoric & Composition graduates of University Of Minnesota Morris earn a median of $44,479 early in their careers. Set against $21,080 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in rhetoric & composition will find it at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities, which ranked #2. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Students borrow a median of $22,375 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Soon after graduation, rhetoric & composition degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $38,407. Set against $22,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in rhetoric & composition, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Rhetoric & Composition graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $47,377 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,500 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Drake University earned it the #4 place for rhetoric & composition. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Rhetoric & Composition graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $56,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.