2027 Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Schools in the The Plains States Region

[General Family & Consumer Sciences](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/general-family-consumer-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for general family & consumer sciences students.
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2027 Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general family & consumer sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Family & Consumer Sciences Schools
For return on investment in general family & consumer sciences, no school beat Pittsburg State University this year. Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pittsburg. In-state tuition and fees average $8,400, while out-of-state students pay about $19,744. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general family & consumer sciences program here. Soon after graduation, general family & consumer sciences degree recipients from Pittsburg State University generally make around $28,782. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general family & consumer sciences will find it at Southeast Missouri State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,903. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn a median of $31,250 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Northern Iowa earned it the #3 place for general family & consumer sciences. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Typical student debt for general family & consumer sciences graduates is $22,635. Soon after graduation, general family & consumer sciences degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. Set against $22,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Iowa State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value general family & consumer sciences schools. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the general family & consumer sciences program here. Early-career general family & consumer sciences graduates make about $51,109. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in general family & consumer sciences will find it at Minnesota State University Mankato, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,125 in student loans. Early-career general family & consumer sciences graduates make about $33,093. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Minnesota State University Mankato admits about 88% of applicants.
Kansas State University placed #6 among the best values for general family & consumer sciences. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. General Family & Consumer Sciences graduates carry a median of $23,546 in student loans. Early-career general family & consumer sciences graduates make about $61,403. Set against $23,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.