2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Health in the Plains States Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Public Health is the 27th most popular major in the country with 38,020 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, public health graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $41,740 and had an average of $35,895 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Plains States region, there were 2,403 public health graduates with average earnings and debt of $44,207 and $43,048 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 649 public health graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region” ranking looked at 28 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public health. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality public health 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 public health 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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Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Health in the Plains States Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Truman State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Truman State University is a small public school situated in Kirksville, Missouri. It awarded 73 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students list, Truman State has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,462 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend Truman State University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, South Dakota State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.
South Dakota State also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $19,252 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,656 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students per year to attend Winona State University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Dakota. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students list, UND has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $15,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $17,067 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
The low 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%.
Bemidji State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Bemidji State University is a public institution located in Bemidji, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Bemidji State University also took the #19 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,868 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend Bemidji State University.
Saint Cloud State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.
St. Cloud State University also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $14,267 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
With a ranking of #8, Missouri Southern State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Located in Joplin, Missouri, this medium-sized public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students list, Missouri Southern has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri Southern is $9,625 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
Walden University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Walden University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 27 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Walden University, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.
University of Northern Iowa landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 42 students in 2019-2020.
UNI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,620 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.
With a ranking of #11, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
UNOMAHA also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha is $14,040 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students.
Read full report on Public Health at University of Nebraska at Omaha
Lindenwood University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Saint Charles, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lindenwood University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,491 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend Lindenwood University.
The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.
Emporia State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. Emporia State University is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students list, ESU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $14,822 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend ESU.
Read full report on Public Health at Emporia State University
Capella University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Capella University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 12 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Capella University is $17,619 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students.
Allen College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Waterloo, Iowa, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
Allen College also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
With a ranking of #16, Concordia University, Saint Paul did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Saint Paul also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $16,245 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend Concordia University, Saint Paul.
With a ranking of #17, Union College Nebraska did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
Union College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $22,497 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students per year to attend Union College Nebraska.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Missouri Western State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. Missouri Western is located in Saint Joseph, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Missouri Western State University is $10,958 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
University of Missouri - Columbia came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,001 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Iowa ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 47 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $19,145 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
St Catherine University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Kate’s not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for St. Kate’s is $19,078 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Baker University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Baldwin City, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public health degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
Baker not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Baker University is $22,879 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Winona, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.
SMU MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $19,514 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students per year to attend Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.
The low 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%.
Concordia University, Nebraska came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region ranking. Concordia University, Nebraska is located in Seward, Nebraska and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.
Concordia University, Nebraska also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $20,763 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students per year to attend Concordia University, Nebraska.
Read more about Public Health at Concordia University, Nebraska
Creighton University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region list. Creighton University is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.
Creighton also took the #13 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Creighton is $31,400 for plains states region bachelor’s degree public health students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Article 25 Flickr.
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