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

50 Ranked Colleges
1,891 Degrees Awarded
$11,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 56,762 social work students received their degree, making the major the 8th most popular in the country.

Across the Plains States region, there were 4,557 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,891 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 50 colleges that offered a degree in social work. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social work 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 social work program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The social work 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 Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Minot State University

Minot, North Dakota
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 60 students in 2019-2020.

MSU also took the #2 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSU is $8,923 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Minot State University

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 25 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMN Duluth has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $7,443 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Work at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#3

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This medium-sized school is located in Winona, Minnesota, and it awarded 73 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Winona State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Winona State University is $12,381 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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 more about Social Work at Winona State

#4

St Olaf College

Northfield, Minnesota
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 50 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, St Olaf College landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Olaf has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Olaf is $12,459 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full St Olaf College Social Work Report

#5

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bemidji State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Bemidji, Minnesota, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Bemidji State University also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Bemidji State University is $10,632 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Work at Bemidji State University

#6

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Cedar Falls, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 72 students in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Northern Iowa

#7

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#3 in overall quality

University of North Dakota did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. University of North Dakota is a public institution located in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UND also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UND is $11,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Read more about Social Work at University of North Dakota

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,057 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Social Work Report

#9

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Saint Cloud State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 57 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Cloud State University has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $10,688 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at St. Cloud State University

#7 in overall quality

Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Moorhead, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 69 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at MSU Moorhead, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for MSU Moorhead is $12,484 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.

Full Minnesota State University - Moorhead Social Work Report

With a ranking of #11, Fort Hays State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. FHSU is a fairly large school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 16 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fort Hays State University is $9,464 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Work at Fort Hays State University

#23 in overall quality

University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $10,940 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Missouri - Columbia

#13

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas
#16 in overall quality

Kansas State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Manhattan, Kansas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

K -State also took the #16 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $14,232 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Work at K -State

#14

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UMSL is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 70 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,401 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMSL.

Read full report on Social Work at UMSL

With a ranking of #15, University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Omaha, Nebraska, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Omaha is $10,490 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Nebraska at Omaha Social Work Report

#16

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#15 in overall quality

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,975 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full University of Iowa Social Work Report

Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Marshall, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $10,801 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Southwest Minnesota State University Social Work Report

#18

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri

Missouri Western State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Missouri Western State University is located in Saint Joseph, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,762 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Missouri Western.

Read more about Social Work at Missouri Western

#19

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

Pittsburg State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pitt State is a public institution located in Pittsburg, Kansas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Pitt State is $10,638 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Pittsburg State University Social Work Report

#20

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#14 in overall quality

St Catherine University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. St Catherine University is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 44 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Kate’s also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend St Catherine University is $15,102 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at St Catherine University

#21

Washburn University

Topeka, Kansas

Washburn University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Topeka, Kansas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 37 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Washburn University is $11,054 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Washburn University

#22

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Metropolitan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 58 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Metro State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Metro State is $14,388 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Metropolitan State University

#23

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, Missouri

University of Central Missouri landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Central Missouri is a medium-sized school located in Warrensburg, Missouri that handed out 50 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,608 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCM.

Full University of Central Missouri Social Work Report

#24

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southeast Missouri State University is a fairly large school located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri that handed out 38 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Southeast Missouri State University is $9,092 for plains states region bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Southeast Missouri State University

#25

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas

With a ranking of #25, Wichita State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. WSU is located in Wichita, Kansas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 75 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $11,642 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wichita State University Social Work 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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