2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in the The Plains States Region
[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general social sciences schools.
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2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
University Of Missouri St Louis earned the #1 spot for value among general social sciences schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,120, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $25,943. General Social Sciences graduates of University Of Missouri St Louis earn a median of $53,079 early in their careers. Set against $25,943 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Southeast Missouri State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,903 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $34,390 to complete the general social sciences program here. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $37,193. Set against $34,390 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southeast Missouri State University admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Butler Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the town of El Dorado, Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,541 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,271. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $16,670. General Social Sciences graduates of Butler Community College earn a median of $39,404 early in their careers. Set against $16,670 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Metropolitan State University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Metropolitan State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,840 in tuition and fees. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. General Social Sciences graduates of Metropolitan State University earn a median of $41,954 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
A rank of #5 makes Bellevue University one of the best values for general social sciences. 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. Students borrow a median of $34,734 to complete the general social sciences program here. General Social Sciences graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $41,475 early in their careers. Set against $34,734 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of North Dakota earned the #6 position for value in general social sciences this year. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,951, with out-of-state students paying around $15,570. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,431 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $34,490. That is a strong return on a $27,431 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Kansas State University landed the #7 spot for general social sciences value this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $27,500. General Social Sciences graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $40,793 early in their careers. Set against $27,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
Upper Iowa University earned the #8 position for value in general social sciences this year. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $19,475. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,805 in student loans. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $56,221. Set against $25,805 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Upper Iowa University admits about 96% of applicants.
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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.
