2026 Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Science Technologies / Technicians](/majors/science-technologies-technicians/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 25 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value science technologies / technicians schools.
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2026 Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in science technologies / technicians, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools
For return on investment in science technologies / technicians, no school beat Saint Louis Community College this year. Saint Louis Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Bridgeton. In-state tuition and fees average $3,660, compared with $6,990 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for science technologies / technicians graduates is $11,424. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates of Saint Louis Community College earn a median of $38,999 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,424 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes Cowley County Community College one of the best values for science technologies / technicians. Set in the town of Arkansas City, Cowley County Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800, compared with $6,600 for out-of-state students. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $10,625 in student loans. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates of Cowley County Community College earn a median of $42,232 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Linn State Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in science technologies / technicians, landing the #3 spot this year. Linn State Technical College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Linn. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,160, with out-of-state students paying around $14,610. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $11,042 in student loans. Early-career science technologies / technicians graduates make about $49,762. That is a strong return on a $11,042 median debt.
Kansas City Kansas Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in science technologies / technicians, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Kansas City, Kansas City Kansas Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,996, while out-of-state students pay about $6,482. Students borrow a median of $13,129 to complete the science technologies / technicians program here. Early-career science technologies / technicians graduates make about $43,216. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earned it the #5 place for science technologies / technicians. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, science technologies / technicians degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $56,395. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Saint Louis University Main Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value science technologies / technicians schools. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $55,760 in tuition and fees. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $26,586 in student loans. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of $65,599 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,586 median debt. The acceptance rate is 75%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 25 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
