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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

76 Ranked Colleges
8,114 Degrees Awarded
$10,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 205,726 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social sciences is the 5th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 9,393 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,924 and $24,385 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,114 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 76 colleges that offer a degree in social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social sciences programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 76 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #1 spot on the list. WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 348 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $6,248 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Washington University in St Louis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Sciences at WUSTL

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Morris. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Morris, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $3,435 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Social Sciences at University of Minnesota - Morris

#3

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 1,057 students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,418 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Social Sciences at UMN Twin Cities

#4

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Olaf College. 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 $30-$48k. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 182 students in 2019-2020.

St. Olaf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend St. Olaf is $12,276 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at St Olaf College

#5

Macalester College

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Macalester College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 135 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Macalester not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Macalester College is $14,047 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Macalester

#21 in overall quality

University of Minnesota - Duluth ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UMN Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 180 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth also took the #21 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $7,992 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#7

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota
#2 in overall quality

Carleton College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 116 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Carleton also took the #2 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carleton College is $9,358 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Carleton College Social Sciences Report

#18 in overall quality

Missouri University of Science and Technology came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized school located in Rolla, Missouri that handed out 9 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 $30-$48k list, Missouri University of Science and Technology has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,660 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 85%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Missouri University of Science and Technology

#9

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Truman State is located in Kirksville, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,269 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Truman State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 full report on Social Sciences at Truman State University

#12 in overall quality

Iowa 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 $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 209 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $10,843 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Iowa State University

#16 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 316 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Mizzou has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $11,595 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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 89%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Mizzou

#12

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

Grinnell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Grinnell is a private not-for-profit institution located in Grinnell, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 129 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Grinnell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Grinnell is $14,818 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Grinnell College Social Sciences Report

#13

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMSL is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 174 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $6,838 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Missouri - St Louis

#14

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Saint Cloud, Minnesota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 112 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $11,274 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Saint Cloud State University Social Sciences Report

#19 in overall quality

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Dakota State University is a fairly large public school situated in Fargo, North Dakota. It awarded 73 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also took the #19 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,544 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

#16

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, University of Northern Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Northern Iowa is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 151 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNI has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $12,495 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UNI

#17

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Bemidji State University is a small public school situated in Bemidji, Minnesota. It awarded 13 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,658 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bemidji State University.

Read more about Social Sciences at Bemidji State University

#18

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,916 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of North Dakota

University of Nebraska at Omaha came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 106 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,460 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Read more about Social Sciences at UNOMAHA

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 101 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,781 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Minnesota State Mankato

#21

Park University

Parkville, Missouri
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Park University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Parkville, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Park University also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $14,034 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Park University.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Park University

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 197 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UNL is $13,508 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Nebraska - Lincoln Social Sciences Report

#23

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Winona State University is a medium-sized school located in Winona, Minnesota that handed out 42 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Winona State is $13,606 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Social Sciences at Winona State

With a ranking of #24, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. FHSU is a fairly large public school situated in Hays, Kansas. It awarded 209 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,882 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Fort Hays State University.

Full FHSU Social Sciences Report

Missouri Southern State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Missouri Southern is a public institution located in Joplin, Missouri. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,416 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Missouri Southern.

Full Missouri Southern State University Social Sciences Report

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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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