2027 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/applied-psychology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong applied psychology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value applied psychology schools.
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2027 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in applied psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Applied Psychology Schools
Saint Marys University Of Minnesota tops our 2027 list of the best value applied psychology schools in the The Plains States Region. Located in the town of Winona, Saint Marys University Of Minnesota is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,080. Students borrow a median of $27,081 to complete the applied psychology program here. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $67,111. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Saint Marys University Of Minnesota admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wichita State University earned it the #2 place for applied psychology. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,262 in student loans. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $49,278. That is a strong return on a $24,262 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Missouri St Louis earned it the #3 place for applied psychology. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,120, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Students borrow a median of $25,943 to complete the applied psychology program here. Applied Psychology graduates of University Of Missouri St Louis earn a median of $56,723 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri St Louis admits about 63% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri University Of Science And Technology earned it the #4 place for applied psychology. Set in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,984 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,248 for out-of-state students. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $25,187 in student loans. Applied Psychology graduates of Missouri University Of Science And Technology earn a median of $74,532 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,187 median debt. Missouri University Of Science And Technology admits about 72% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Bellevue University earned it the #5 place for applied psychology. Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bellevue. Students from in state pay about $12,873 in tuition and fees. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,846 in student loans. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $61,548. Set against $24,846 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Capella University placed #6 among the best values for applied psychology. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $35,998 to complete the applied psychology program here. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from Capella University generally make around $57,897. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Loras College earned the #7 position for value in applied psychology this year. Loras College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dubuque. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,824. Typical student debt for applied psychology graduates is $26,528. Applied Psychology graduates of Loras College earn a median of $43,117 early in their careers. Set against $26,528 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 100%.
Ottawa University Ottawa earned the #8 position for value in applied psychology this year. Located in the town of Ottawa, Ottawa University Ottawa is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,880. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $30,416 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from Ottawa University Ottawa generally make around $52,174. That is a strong return on a $30,416 median debt. The acceptance rate is 83%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.