2027 Best Value Child development Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Child development](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/child-development/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong child development education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for child development students.
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2027 Best Value Child development Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in child development, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Child development Schools
Saint Louis Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value child development schools in the The Plains States Region. Located in the suburb of Bridgeton, Saint Louis Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,990. Child Development graduates carry a median of $11,424 in student loans. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from Saint Louis Community College generally make around $26,593. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in child development will find it at Southeast Community College Area, which ranked #2. Southeast Community College Area is a large public school located in the city of Lincoln. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,444, compared with $4,032 for out-of-state students. Child Development graduates carry a median of $16,165 in student loans. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from Southeast Community College Area generally make around $29,534. Set against $16,165 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College one of the best values for child development. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,326. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $17,650. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from Saint Paul College A Community And Technical College generally make around $32,055. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Central Missouri one of the best values for child development. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,050, compared with $18,600 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,500 to complete the child development program here. Early-career child development graduates make about $36,267. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Central Missouri admits about 64% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Missouri State University Springfield one of the best values for child development. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Child Development graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career child development graduates make about $32,769. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Iowa State University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value child development schools. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $24,958. Early-career child development graduates make about $54,204. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Concordia University Saint Paul ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value child development schools. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Concordia University Saint Paul is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,600. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $30,583. Early-career child development graduates make about $42,810. Set against $30,583 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Kansas State University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value child development schools. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for child development graduates is $25,000. Child Development graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $42,654 early in their careers. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia landed the #9 spot for child development value this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the child development program here. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $40,221. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
