2026 Best Value Applied Linguistics Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in applied linguistics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Applied Linguistics Schools
For return on investment in applied linguistics, no school beat University Of Kansas this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Typical student debt for applied linguistics graduates is $23,608. Applied Linguistics graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $56,289 early in their careers. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in applied linguistics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for applied linguistics graduates is $21,500. Applied Linguistics graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $29,830 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Iowa State University earned it the #3 place for applied linguistics. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Applied Linguistics graduates carry a median of $24,793 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied linguistics degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $53,900. That is a strong return on a $24,793 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
[Applied Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/applied-linguistics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong applied linguistics education at a price that pays off.
