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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Child Development & Psychology in the Plains States Region

26 Ranked Colleges
1,633 Degrees Awarded
$29,600 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Child Development & Psychology is the 57th most popular major in the country with 17,542 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, child development and psychology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,186 and had an average of $22,623 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,633 child development and psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,872 and $22,258 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in child development and psychology. That schools that top this list have a program in child development and psychology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region” 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.

Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Child Development & Psychology in the Plains States Region

1
Cottey College crest
Cottey College
Nevada, Missouri

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cottey College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region. Cottey College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Nevada, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Cottey College Child Development & Psychology Report

2
Park University crest
Park University
Parkville, Missouri

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Park University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Parkville, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 257 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Park University

3
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Olaf College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 74 students in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Child Development & Psychology at St Olaf College

4
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Luther College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Decorah, Iowa, and it awarded 32 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full Luther Child Development & Psychology Report

5
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region. Carleton College is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s child development degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Carleton College Child Development & Psychology Report

6
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. Grinnell is a small school located in Grinnell, Iowa that handed out 30 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Grinnell

7
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Macalester is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 33 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Macalester

8
WUSTL crest
Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, Missouri

Washington University in St Louis ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. WUSTL is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 210 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Washington University in St Louis Child Development & Psychology Report

9
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton University ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Creighton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 93 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 92%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Creighton

10

Northwest Missouri State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #10. Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution located in Maryville, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 68 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Northwest

11

University of Nebraska at Kearney ranked #11 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 43 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Nebraska at Kearney Child Development & Psychology Report

12
McPherson College crest
McPherson College
McPherson, Kansas

McPherson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12. McPherson, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at McPherson College

13
UCM crest
University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and it awarded 69 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at UCM

14
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school awarded 108 degrees to qualified ’s child development students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Child Development & Psychology at Kansas State University

15

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 174 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at UMN Twin Cities

16
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Capella University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 143 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Capella University

17
Morningside crest
Morningside College
Sioux City, Iowa

With a ranking of #17, Morningside College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Morningside is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux City, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Morningside College

18
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 58 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Kansas Child Development & Psychology Report

19
Metro State crest
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Metro State is a medium-sized public school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 15 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Metro State Child Development & Psychology Report

20
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #20. Cornell College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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 Cornell College Child Development & Psychology Report

21
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

With a ranking of #21, Walden University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Walden University is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 76 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Child Development & Psychology at Walden University

22

Maryville University of Saint Louis came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 13 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Maryville U

23
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #23. Saint Louis University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 12 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergraduate 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 more about Child Development & Psychology at SLU

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Mizzou

25
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

With a ranking of #25, Augsburg University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child Development Major in the Plains States Region list. Augsburg University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Augsburg Child Development & Psychology Report

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