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2023 Best Value Colleges for Social Work (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

49 Ranked Colleges
4,748 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Social Work is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 57,401 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

Across the Plains States region, there were 4,748 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 49 colleges that offer a degree in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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 Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Work (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Washington University in St Louis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social work degrees to 267 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WUSTL, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WUSTL is $8,149 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read more about Social Work at Washington University in St Louis

2

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 117 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $12,911 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Social Work Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - St Louis. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 122 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Missouri - St Louis is $11,291 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full UMSL Social Work Report

4

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #4 spot on the list. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, Mizzou has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $13,715 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Columbia Social Work Report

5
MSU crest
Minot State University
Minot, North Dakota

Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Minot State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Minot, North Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 78 students in 2020-2021.

MSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for MSU is $11,911 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Social Work at MSU

6
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Grand Forks, North Dakota is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 157 students in 2020-2021.

UND also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UND is $15,818 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at UND

7

With a ranking of #7, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, this fairly large public school awarded 94 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Minnesota State Mankato, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $14,995 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 full report on Social Work at Minnesota State University - Mankato

8
Winona State crest
Winona State University
Winona, Minnesota

Winona State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Winona State University is a public institution located in Winona, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 81 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Winona State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $15,289 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Winona State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Winona State Social Work Report

9

University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school awarded 80 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $13,364 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 UMN Duluth Social Work Report

10

Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Moorhead, Minnesota, and it awarded 57 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, MSU Moorhead has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,809 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k 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 Social Work Report

11
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 94 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Cloud State University also took the #21 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Cloud State University is $13,140 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Saint Cloud State University

12

University of Northern Iowa came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Northern Iowa is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Northern Iowa is $15,287 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Full UNI Social Work Report

13

University of Nebraska at Omaha did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. UNOMAHA is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 149 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UNOMAHA also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for UNOMAHA is $13,574 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Social Work at University of Nebraska at Omaha

14
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

With a ranking of #14, Kansas State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Manhattan, Kansas, this large public school handed out 50 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

K -State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Kansas State University is $16,868 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Work at K -State

15
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 140 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,026 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Social Work at Iowa

16
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 224 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

KU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend KU is $18,586 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at KU

17

Wichita State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Wichita, Kansas, this fairly large public school handed out 134 degrees to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for WSU is $14,581 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Work at Wichita State University

18
St. Kate's crest
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

St Catherine University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. This small school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 66 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Kate’s, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,942 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend St. Kate’s.

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

Full St Catherine University Social Work Report

19

University of Nebraska at Kearney did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. UNK is a medium-sized school located in Kearney, Nebraska that handed out 44 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska at Kearney is $16,311 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full University of Nebraska at Kearney Social Work Report

20
Metro State crest
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Metropolitan State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 61 degrees to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

Metro State also took the #23 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Metropolitan State University is $16,515 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Metropolitan State University

21

With a ranking of #21, Southwest Minnesota State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southwest Minnesota State University is a public institution located in Marshall, Minnesota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Southwest Minnesota State University is $12,156 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Work at Southwest Minnesota State University

22

Missouri Southern State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. Missouri Southern is a public institution located in Joplin, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Missouri Southern State University is $10,215 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Work at Missouri Southern State University

22

Fort Hays State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. FHSU is a fairly large school located in Hays, Kansas that handed out 54 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Fort Hays State University is $13,208 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Work at Fort Hays State University

24
Bemidji State University crest
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, Minnesota

Bemidji State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Bemidji State University is a small school located in Bemidji, Minnesota that handed out 33 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $14,520 for Plains States Region Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bemidji State University Social Work Report

25
Loras crest
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social work degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loras, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loras is $19,010 for plains states region social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full Loras Social Work Report

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