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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

15 Ranked Colleges
395 Degrees Awarded
$16,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 19,742 people earned their degree in general social sciences, making the major the 51st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,665 and had an average of $22,423 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 518 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,650 and $34,523 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 395 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general social sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Morris. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UMN Morris is located in Morris, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Morris has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $4,230 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Minnesota - Morris

#2

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Dakota landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UND not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $11,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Dakota.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of North Dakota General Social Sciences Report

#3

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Kansas State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school handed out 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

K -State also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $14,232 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at K -State

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $11,057 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 General Social Sciences at Minnesota State Mankato

#5

Saint Johns University

Collegeville, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Johns University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SJU is located in Collegeville, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

SJU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $14,683 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Johns University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at SJU

#6

College of Saint Benedict

Saint Joseph, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

College of Saint Benedict landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. College of Saint Benedict is located in Saint Joseph, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSB has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend College of Saint Benedict is $17,143 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at College of Saint Benedict

#7

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Metro State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Metropolitan State University is $14,388 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Social Sciences at Metro State

#8

Central College

Pella, Iowa
#9 in overall quality

Central College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Central is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pella, Iowa. It awarded 7 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central is $19,172 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Central College General Social Sciences Report

#9

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Bellevue, Nebraska, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 104 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Bellevue University also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bellevue University is $14,933 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Bellevue University

#10

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota
#15 in overall quality

Black Hills State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Spearfish, South Dakota, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, BHSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for BHSU is $14,142 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at BHSU

#11

Benedictine College

Atchison, Kansas
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Benedictine College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Benedictine College is a small school located in Atchison, Kansas that handed out 4 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Benedictine College also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Benedictine College is $18,742 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Benedictine College

#12

Doane University

Crete, Nebraska
#14 in overall quality

Doane University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Crete, Nebraska, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Doane Crete not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Doane Crete is $22,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Doane Crete General Social Sciences Report

#13

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Bethel University Minnesota came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bethel University Minnesota is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bethel University Minnesota, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bethel University Minnesota is $18,396 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Bethel University Minnesota General Social Sciences Report

#14

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Upper Iowa University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayette, Iowa. It awarded 25 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UIU also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $21,427 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Upper Iowa University.

Read more about General Social Sciences at UIU

#15

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UST MN is $27,460 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 87%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at UST MN

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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