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2023 Best Value Colleges for Family & Consumer Economics in the Plains States Region

5 Ranked Colleges
348 Degrees Awarded
$17,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 1,454 people earned their degree in family and consumer economics, making the major the 211th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, family and consumer economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,903 and had an average of $24,231 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 348 family and consumer economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,254 and $22,458 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 5 colleges that offered a degree in family and consumer economics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality family and consumer economics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the family and consumer economics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region.

Top 5 Best Value Colleges for Family & Consumer Economics in the Plains States Region

1
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, South Dakota State University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 31 degrees to qualified ’s consumer economics students in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Family & Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $18,578 for plains states region consumer economics students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about Family & Consumer Economics at South Dakota State University

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region list. Iowa State University is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 11 ’s consumer economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Family & Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $16,002 for plains states region consumer economics students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Family & Consumer Economics at Iowa State

3

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska - Lincoln landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 139 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region consumer economics students list, UNL has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Family & Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $17,013 for Plains States Region Consumer Economics students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Family & Consumer Economics at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 90 ’s consumer economics degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Family & Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $17,878 for plains states region consumer economics students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Family & Consumer Economics Report

5

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 46 ’s consumer economics degrees in 2020-2021.

UNK also made our “Best Family & Consumer Economics Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for UNK is $17,099 for Plains States Region Consumer Economics students.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on Family & Consumer Economics at UNK

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Notes and References

References

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