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2023 Best History Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

21 Ranked Colleges
1,798 Degrees Awarded
$26,600 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History

When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 32,731 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 30th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,467 and had an average of $23,587 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,798 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,406 and $25,596 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History” ranking looked at 21 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in history. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent history programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the history program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
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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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region vets studying history.

Top 21 Best History Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 108 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 52,017 students enrolled at UMN Twin Cities, 752 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 436 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,020. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Veteran Student Life Report

2
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Iowa is located in Iowa City, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 78 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Iowa supports 30,318 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read More…

3
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Kansas. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, this large public school handed out 54 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 70 of the 26,744 students enrolled at KU were GI Bill® students, of which 40 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,917. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Kansas]](/colleges/university-of-kansas/student-life/veterans/)

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History. Iowa State University is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Iowa State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University, 814 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. On top of their other funding sources, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Iowa State]](/colleges/iowa-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

5

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Missouri - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, Missouri that handed out 45 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 31,089 students enrolled at Mizzou, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,384. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mizzou offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

6

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. UNL is a large school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 57 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 25,108 students enrolled at University of Nebraska - Lincoln, 690 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 344 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,374. To help with additional expenses, 79 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UNL Veteran Student Life Report

7

University of Northern Iowa landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying history list, UNI has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 251 of the 9,507 students enrolled at University of Northern Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,033. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UNI]](/colleges/university-of-northern-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

8
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Charles, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Lindenwood University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Lindenwood University supports 7,382 students, and 31 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 29 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,583. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lindenwood University Veteran Student Life Report

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Kearney, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying history list, UNK has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UNK supports 6,225 students, and 183 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 71 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,539. In addition to receiving other benefits, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%.

Full University of Nebraska at Kearney Veteran Student Life Report

10
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. South Dakota State University is located in Brookings, South Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

South Dakota State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 369 of the 11,405 students enrolled at South Dakota State University were GI Bill® students, of which 158 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,731. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State University Veteran Student Life Report

11

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking, coming in at #11. UNOMAHA is a public institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, University of Nebraska at Omaha supports 15,892 students, and 928 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 488 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,364. To help with additional expenses, 75 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

12
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, Missouri

Columbia College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 35 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

Columbia College Missouri also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 6 of the 8,347 students enrolled at Columbia College were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $750. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Columbia College offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Columbia College]](/colleges/columbia-college-missouri/student-life/veterans/)

13
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school awarded 27 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

K -State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 20,854 students enrolled at Kansas State University, 1,099 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 647 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,562. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Kansas State University]](/colleges/kansas-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

14

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. UMN Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 36 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 10,275 students enrolled at UMN Duluth, 249 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 88 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,883. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

15

With a ranking of #15, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Minnesota State Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying history list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 14,761 students enrolled at Minnesota State University - Mankato, 331 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 147 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,814. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Minnesota State University - Mankato offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

16

University of Missouri - St Louis ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 57 diplomas to qualified ’s history students in 2020-2021.

UMSL also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 13,874 students enrolled at University of Missouri - St Louis, 314 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 228 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,355. To help with additional expenses, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis Veteran Student Life Report

17

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. This fairly large school is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and it awarded 34 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying history list, UMKC has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,147 students enrolled at UMKC, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

18

Wichita State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking. WSU is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 18 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region vets studying history list, WSU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 577 of the 14,999 students enrolled at WSU were GI Bill® students, of which 385 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,488. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. WSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Wichita State University]](/colleges/wichita-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

19
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

With a ranking of #19, Truman State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Truman State is a public institution located in Kirksville, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Truman State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 4,655 students enrolled at Truman State University, 55 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 29 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,178. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Truman State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Truman State Veteran Student Life Report

20
Coe crest
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

With a ranking of #20, Coe College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History list. Coe College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It awarded 10 ’s history degrees in 2020-2021.

Coe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Coe supports 1,394 students, and 15 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,106. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Coe]](/colleges/coe-college/student-life/veterans/)

21
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

Luther College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Plains States Region for History ranking, coming in at #21. Decorah, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s history degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

Luther did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 1,802 students enrolled at Luther College, 19 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,670. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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