2027 Best Value African American Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
[African American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/african-american-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong african american studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for african american studies students.
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2027 Best Value African American Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the african american studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value African American Studies Schools
For return on investment in african american studies, no school beat University Of Minnesota Twin Cities this year. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $21,964 in student loans. Soon after graduation, african american studies degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $33,000. Set against $21,964 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in african american studies will find it at Washington University In St Louis, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,790. Typical student debt for african american studies graduates is $17,553. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $16,635. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in african american studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. African American Studies graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $34,216 early in their careers. Set against $26,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
