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2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

46 Ranked Colleges
1,567 Degrees Awarded
$11,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 32,905 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 22nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,593 and had an average of $23,490 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,824 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,537 and $23,960 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,567 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 46 colleges that offer a degree in history. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent history programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the history program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Carleton has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $9,579 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on History at Carleton

#20 in overall quality

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Morris, Minnesota, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Morris did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $4,230 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMN Morris.

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%.

Read full report on History at UMN Morris

#3

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Truman State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This small school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Truman State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $7,564 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Truman State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Truman State University History Report

#4

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #4 spot on the list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 101 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #5 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMN Twin Cities is $7,266 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 students.

Read more about History at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#13 in overall quality

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #5 spot on the list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a public institution located in Rolla, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Missouri University of Science and Technology has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,755 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about History at Missouri University of Science and Technology

#6

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

St Olaf College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Olaf also took the #2 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,459 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend St Olaf College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at St Olaf College

#4 in overall quality

Iowa State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 67 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 Iowa State University History Report

#8

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNI is $10,757 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national 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 more about History at University of Northern Iowa

#12 in overall quality

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNL is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,216 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Read more about History at University of Nebraska - Lincoln

#16 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

Mizzou also took the #16 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $10,940 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia History Report

#11

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

University of Iowa landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school awarded 72 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $12,975 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at University of Iowa

#12

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Winona State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Winona State has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,381 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Winona State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Winona State

#13

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa
#10 in overall quality

Grinnell College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Grinnell, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Grinnell, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grinnell is $11,945 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at Grinnell

#14

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMSL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 24 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,401 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMSL.

Read more about History at UMSL

#18 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mankato, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,057 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Read full report on History at Minnesota State University - Mankato

Southwest Minnesota State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a medium-sized school located in Marshall, Minnesota that handed out 8 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southwest Minnesota State University is $10,801 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Southwest Minnesota State University

#17

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. South Dakota State is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $15,285 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%.

Read full report on History at South Dakota State

University of Nebraska at Omaha landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UNOMAHA is a fairly large school located in Omaha, Nebraska that handed out 27 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Read full report on History at University of Nebraska at Omaha

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. FHSU is a fairly large school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 11 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,464 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FHSU.

Read full report on History at FHSU

#20

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#19 in overall quality

Kansas State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kansas State University is a public institution located in Manhattan, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

K -State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $14,232 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on History at Kansas State University

#21

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

Simpson College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Simpson College is a small school located in Indianola, Iowa that handed out 10 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Simpson College also took the #8 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,357 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simpson College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Simpson College

#22

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#22 in overall quality

Lindenwood University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Charles, Missouri that handed out 22 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University also took the #22 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lindenwood University is $14,388 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Lindenwood University

#23

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minnesota
#9 in overall quality

Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Gustavus Adolphus is a small school located in Saint Peter, Minnesota that handed out 10 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Gustavus Adolphus has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Gustavus Adolphus is $12,150 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on History at Gustavus Adolphus College

With a ranking of #24, Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized public school situated in Moorhead, Minnesota. It awarded 4 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,484 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at MSU Moorhead

#25

Washburn University

Topeka, Kansas

Washburn University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Topeka, Kansas, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Washburn University is $11,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Washburn University

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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.

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