2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in the The Plains States Region
[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/social-sciences-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general social sciences education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general social sciences students.
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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. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public university. 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 general social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $53,079. That is a strong return on a $25,943 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Southeast Missouri State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Southeast Missouri State University is a large public school located in the city of Cape Girardeau. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. 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. That is a strong return on a $34,390 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at Butler Community College, which ranked #3. Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of El Dorado. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,541, compared with $6,271 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,670 to complete the general social sciences program here. General Social Sciences graduates of Butler Community College earn a median of $39,404 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,670 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Metropolitan State University one of the best values for general social sciences. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Metropolitan State University is a moderately-sized public university. 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. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Metropolitan State University admits about 99% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Dakota earned it the #5 place for general social sciences. Located in the city of Grand Forks, University Of North Dakota is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,951, with out-of-state students paying around $15,570. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $27,431. General Social Sciences graduates of University Of North Dakota earn a median of $34,490 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Bellevue University landed the #6 spot for general social sciences value this year. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,873. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $34,734. General Social Sciences graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $41,475 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Kansas State University placed #7 among the best values for general social sciences. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $40,793. Set against $27,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Upper Iowa University ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value general social sciences schools. Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. Students from in state pay about $19,475 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $25,805. General Social Sciences graduates of Upper Iowa University earn a median of $56,221 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
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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.
