2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Plains States Region
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2019-2020, 365,980 liberal arts students received their degree, making the major the 2nd most popular in the country.
Across the Plains States region, there were 26,613 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 23,973 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,069 and $19,434 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 84 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region” list to help you make the college 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. 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.
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students.
Top 25 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Plains States Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Normandale Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Normandale Community College is located in Bloomington, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 687 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
Normandale Community College also took the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Normandale Community College is $12,620 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Normandale Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Louis Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. Saint Louis Community College is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,377 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Saint Louis Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis Community College is $6,796 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Saint Louis Community College
Out of the 84 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Anoka-Ramsey Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a public institution located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 639 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College is $11,890 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bismarck State College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region. BSC is a small school located in Bismarck, North Dakota that handed out 405 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
BSC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $9,420 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students per year to attend Bismarck State College.
Out of the 84 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Des Moines Area Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. DMACC is a public institution located in Ankeny, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,180 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
DMACC also made our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $10,076 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend DMACC.
Century College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Century College is located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 400 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
Century College also took the #11 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,808 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students per year to attend Century College.
Inver Hills Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Inver Hills Community College is a public institution located in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 326 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
IHCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Inver Hills Community College is $11,486 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students.
Johnson County Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. JCCC is a public institution located in Overland Park, Kansas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,207 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
JCCC also took the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johnson County Community College is $12,632 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
St Cloud Technical and Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 314 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
St Cloud Technical and Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $9,019 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students per year to attend St Cloud Technical and Community College.
Full St Cloud Technical and Community College Liberal Arts Report
North Hennepin Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and it awarded 292 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region associate degree liberal studies students list, North Hennepin Community College has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Hennepin Community College is $10,284 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read more about Liberal Arts at North Hennepin Community College
Metropolitan Community College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. MCC is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 325 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at MCC, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MCC is $4,295 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Metropolitan Community College
Northland Community and Technical College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Thief River Falls, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 155 students in 2019-2020.
Northland Community and Technical College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,860 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Northland Community and Technical College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Northland Community and Technical College
With a ranking of #13, Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in Kansas City, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 1,147 degrees to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at MCC, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $7,066 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City
Rochester Community and Technical College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Rochester Community and Technical College is a medium-sized public school situated in Rochester, Minnesota. It awarded 291 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Rochester Community and Technical College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rochester Community and Technical College is $14,088 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Rochester Community and Technical College
Kirkwood Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 730 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Kirkwood Community College also made our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Kirkwood Community College is $10,939 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students.
North Dakota State College of Science came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. North Dakota State College of Science is a public institution located in Wahpeton, North Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 101 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.
North Dakota State College of Science also took the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State College of Science is $10,940 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Full North Dakota State College of Science Liberal Arts Report
With a ranking of #17, Lake Superior College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. LSC is a small school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 282 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at LSC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,503 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend LSC.
Hutchinson Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #18. Hutchinson Community College is located in Hutchinson, Kansas and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 572 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $7,922 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Hutchinson Community College.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Hutchinson Community College
Central Lakes College - Brainerd came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Brainerd, Minnesota, this small public school awarded 288 degrees to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Lakes College, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,514 for plains states region associate degree liberal studies students per year to attend Central Lakes College.
Butler Community College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in El Dorado, Kansas, and it awarded 600 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Butler CC also took the #25 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Butler Community College is $13,895 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 282 degrees to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
M State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend M State is $10,818 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Northwest Iowa Community College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Sheldon, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Northwest Iowa Community College is $12,125 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Northwest Iowa Community College
With a ranking of #23, Columbia College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Located in Columbia, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 88 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Columbia College Missouri not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College is $26,730 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
With a ranking of #24, Indian Hills Community College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region list. Indian Hills Community College is a small school located in Ottumwa, Iowa that handed out 349 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $7,217 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students per year to attend Indian Hills Community College.
Cowley County Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for an Associate in the Plains States Region ranking. Cowley County Community College is a small public school situated in Arkansas City, Kansas. It awarded 320 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Cowley College is $7,908 for Plains States Region Associate Degree Liberal Studies students.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Cowley County Community College
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Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
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Most Popular Associate Degree Online Liberal Arts Schools
Liberal Arts students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income less than $30k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income Over $110k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income exceeding $110k in the Plains States Region
Highest Paid Associate Degree Liberal Arts Graduates in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Liberal Arts students getting aid in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income $30-$48k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Plains States Region
Liberal Arts students in the Plains States Region
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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