2027 Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Developmental & Child Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/developmental-and-child-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for developmental & child psychology students.
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2027 Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in developmental & child psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools
Our analysis ranked Missouri Southern State University the best value for a degree in developmental & child psychology in the The Plains States Region. Missouri Southern State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Joplin. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,600, compared with $18,300 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,241 to complete the developmental & child psychology program here. Early-career developmental & child psychology graduates make about $39,434. Set against $22,241 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Fort Hays State University earned it the #2 place for developmental & child psychology. Set in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Students borrow a median of $25,967 to complete the developmental & child psychology program here. Soon after graduation, developmental & child psychology degree recipients from Fort Hays State University generally make around $49,775. That is a strong return on a $25,967 median debt. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value developmental & child psychology schools. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Typical student debt for developmental & child psychology graduates is $20,625. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $31,027 early in their careers. Set against $20,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
Capella University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value developmental & child psychology schools. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400. Students borrow a median of $35,998 to complete the developmental & child psychology program here. Soon after graduation, developmental & child psychology degree recipients from Capella University generally make around $45,399. Set against $35,998 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Walden University one of the best values for developmental & child psychology. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Walden University is a very large private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,067. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates carry a median of $49,361 in student loans. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates of Walden University earn a median of $46,371 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.