College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

16 Ranked Colleges
461 Degrees Awarded
$13,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

International Studies is the 100th most popular major in the country with 7,368 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,198 and had an average of $21,594 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 461 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $24,909 and $21,789 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree in international studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent international studies 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 international studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank International Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More International Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The international studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 16 Best Value Colleges for International Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 64 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Washington University in St Louis is $2,446 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Washington University in St Louis

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, this fairly large public school awarded 48 degrees to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

UNOMAHA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,294 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at UNOMAHA

3
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Macalester College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Macalester College is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Macalester has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $10,543 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Macalester.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Studies at Macalester

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, this large public school awarded 39 diplomas to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

UNL also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNL is $13,453 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at UNL

5
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #5 spot on the list. Lawrence, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international studies degrees to 54 students in 2020-2021.

KU also made our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $16,288 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. 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 International Studies at KU

6

University of Northern Iowa landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $13,175 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Studies at UNI

7
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 28 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

K -State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,653 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Kansas State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Kansas State University International Studies Report

8

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

North Dakota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,735 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Read more about International Studies at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

9
Southeast Missouri State University crest
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Southeast Missouri State University is a public institution located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Southeast Missouri State University also made our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $11,406 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Studies at Southeast Missouri State University

10

Minnesota State University - Moorhead landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Moorhead, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 13 degrees to qualified ’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, MSU Moorhead has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MSU Moorhead is $14,194 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 International Studies at Minnesota State University - Moorhead

11
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 25 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $15,508 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Iowa

12

With a ranking of #12, Missouri State University - Springfield did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Missouri State is a public institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri State, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri State is $13,144 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Missouri State

13
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 3 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State also took the #13 spot in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State is $12,963 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State International Studies Report

14
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

With a ranking of #14, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 4 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $10,825 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Read full report on International Studies at Saint Cloud State University

15
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Webster University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Webster University is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 3 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Webster also made our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend Webster is $20,039 for plains states region international studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Webster University International Studies Report

16
Hamline crest
Hamline University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Hamline University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Hamline is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 8 ’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Hamline also took the #15 spot in our “Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hamline is $17,386 for Plains States Region International Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at Hamline

Switch to a Similar Major

Interdisciplinary Studies
Best Value Colleges for Interdisciplinary Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
Best Value Colleges for Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Mathematics & Computer Science
Best Value Colleges for Mathematics & Computer Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Historic Preservation
Best Value Colleges for Historic Preservation (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Museum Studies
Best Value Colleges for Museum Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Natural Sciences
Best Value Colleges for Natural Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Classical & Ancient Studies
Best Value Colleges for Classical & Ancient Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Cognitive Science
Best Value Colleges for Cognitive Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Dispute Resolution
Best Value Colleges for Dispute Resolution (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Human Computer Interaction
Best Value Colleges for Human Computer Interaction (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
Best Value Colleges for Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Data Science
Best Value Colleges for Data Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Best Value Colleges for Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options