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2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

35 Ranked Colleges
3,129 Degrees Awarded
$12,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 31,703 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,800 and $15,275 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,129 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 35 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts general studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts general studies 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 Liberal Arts General Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $11,595 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full Mizzou Liberal Arts General Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Iowa State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,843 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa State.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Iowa State University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UNOMAHA is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 318 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNOMAHA has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNOMAHA is $11,460 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UNOMAHA

#4

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 97 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMSL is $6,838 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Missouri - St Louis

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fort Hays State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Hays, Kansas, this fairly large public school handed out 249 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

FHSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $9,882 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at FHSU

#6

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #6, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 110 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UND, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UND is $11,916 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 Liberal Arts General Studies at University of North Dakota

#7

Fontbonne University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Fontbonne University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Fontbonne University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Fontbonne University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Fontbonne University is $12,832 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Fontbonne University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#8

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota

Minot State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. MSU is a small public school situated in Minot, North Dakota. It awarded 26 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend MSU is $8,187 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Minot State University

Missouri Southern State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Joplin, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 79 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern is $8,416 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Missouri Southern State University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#10

College of Saint Mary

Omaha, Nebraska

College of Saint Mary landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Mary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, Saint Mary has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for College of Saint Mary is $8,336 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%. 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.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Mary

#11

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and it awarded 172 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Southeast Missouri State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $10,217 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Southeast Missouri State University

#12

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pittsburg State University is located in Pittsburg, Kansas and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Pitt State also took the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pittsburg State University is $11,973 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Pitt State

#13

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

With a ranking of #13, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 190 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $15,073 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Iowa Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#14

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 76 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNI has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $12,495 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full University of Northern Iowa Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#15

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wichita State University is a fairly large public school situated in Wichita, Kansas. It awarded 89 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

WSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Wichita State University is $12,543 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Wichita State University

#16

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 151 students in 2019-2020.

UMKC also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City is $12,553 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full UMKC Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#17

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. UCM is located in Warrensburg, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UCM is $12,022 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Central Missouri

#18

William Jewell College

Liberty, Missouri

William Jewell College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Liberty, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

William Jewell also took the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $17,796 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William Jewell.

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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full William Jewell College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#19

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #19, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Kansas State University is a large public school situated in Manhattan, Kansas. It awarded 4 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, K -State has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $15,089 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at K -State

#20

Emporia State University

Emporia, Kansas

Emporia State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Emporia State University is a public institution located in Emporia, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at ESU, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,964 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend ESU.

Full Emporia State University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

#21

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. KU is a large school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 109 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Kansas is $15,380 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Kansas

#22

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Brookings, South Dakota, this fairly large public school handed out 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State is $16,273 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full South Dakota State Liberal Arts General Studies Report

University of Nebraska at Kearney landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Kearney, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school awarded 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNK has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNK is $13,417 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Nebraska at Kearney Liberal Arts General Studies Report

With a ranking of #24, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Missouri State University - Springfield is a large public school situated in Springfield, Missouri. It awarded 90 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State is $13,488 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Missouri State

#25

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SLU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $21,082 for plains states region bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SLU.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Louis 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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