2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 6,820 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 106th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,734 and had an average of $23,024 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Plains States region, there were 335 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,400 and $23,969 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 274 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and cost less that 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 area studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools
The area studies 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 Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region”.
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. 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 Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region.
Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students.
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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Minnesota State Mankato also took the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $16,221 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Iowa State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,496 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students per year to attend Iowa State University.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this large public school awarded 76 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,001 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students per year to attend Mizzou.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
KU also made our “Best Area Studies 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 area studies students per year to attend University of Kansas.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of Iowa ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa also took the #6 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students per year to attend Iowa.
The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $17,740 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Saint Louis University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SLU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $28,188 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students per year to attend SLU.
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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
St Olaf College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students list, St. Olaf has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $23,543 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students per year to attend St Olaf College.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Washington University in St Louis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 29 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
WUSTL also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $26,869 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
Carleton College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Carleton College is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students list, Carleton has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carleton is $31,133 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
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Best Area Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Area Studies Schools
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Plains States Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Area Studies Graduates in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Area Studies students getting aid in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
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 Karl Udo Gerth.
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