College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

52 Ranked Colleges
1,248 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Sociology is the 25th most popular major in the country with 38,475 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $24,587 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,248 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,845 and $26,072 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 52 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent sociology programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the sociology program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Sociology Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Sociology Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The sociology school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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 Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1

Out of the 52 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools 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. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 26 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $2,446 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at Washington University in St Louis

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UMN Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 110 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,609 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Sociology at UMN Twin Cities

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Morris. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UMN Morris is a small school located in Morris, Minnesota that handed out 4 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMN Morris has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Morris is $2,230 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at UMN Morris

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Iowa State University is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 37 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $11,427 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Sociology at Iowa State

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Duluth, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $8,697 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Duluth Sociology Report

6

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 50 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Missouri - Columbia is $11,386 for plains states region sociology 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 more about Sociology at University of Missouri - Columbia

7
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. University of North Dakota is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

UND also took the #12 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,151 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Dakota.

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

Full UND Sociology Report

8

With a ranking of #8, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Dakota State University - Main Campus is located in Fargo, North Dakota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

North Dakota State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,735 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at North Dakota State University

9
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa

Grinnell College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Grinnell, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 30 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

Grinnell also took the #4 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,671 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grinnell College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Grinnell Sociology Report

10
Truman State crest
Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri

Truman State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Kirksville, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Truman State is $8,898 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, 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 88%.

Read full report on Sociology at Truman State University

11

University of Nebraska - Lincoln did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Lincoln, Nebraska is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 41 students in 2020-2021.

UNL also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $13,453 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Sociology at UNL

12
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 36 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Iowa is $15,508 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Iowa

13

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UMSL is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 9 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - St Louis is $8,324 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Sociology at University of Missouri - St Louis

14

Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 15 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Minnesota State Mankato also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $12,263 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at Minnesota State Mankato

15

University of Northern Iowa landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and it awarded 20 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNI has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $13,175 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Northern Iowa

16
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Gustavus Adolphus College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Gustavus Adolphus is a small school located in Saint Peter, Minnesota that handed out 11 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Gustavus Adolphus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $16,445 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Gustavus Adolphus College.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Gustavus Adolphus College Sociology Report

17
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #17, Macalester College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Macalester College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Macalester also took the #13 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Macalester College is $10,543 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Sociology at Macalester College

18

University of Nebraska at Omaha came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools 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 ’s sociology degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UNOMAHA is $11,294 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Nebraska at Omaha Sociology Report

19
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. K -State is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 69 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

K -State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for K -State is $14,653 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at Kansas State University

20

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Kansas City, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMKC has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMKC is $13,751 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UMKC

21
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 18 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Saint Cloud State University is $10,825 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Saint Cloud State University

22
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

With a ranking of #22, University of Kansas did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. KU is a public institution located in Lawrence, Kansas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k list, KU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for KU is $16,288 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Kansas

23

Minnesota State University - Moorhead came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a public institution located in Moorhead, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,194 for plains states region sociology students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Moorhead.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MSU Moorhead Sociology Report

24
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #24. This fairly large school is located in Brookings, South Dakota, and it awarded 51 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State is $14,846 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full South Dakota State University Sociology Report

25

Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Missouri State is a public institution located in Springfield, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri State is $13,144 for Plains States Region Sociology students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Missouri State University - Springfield

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options