2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/transportation-materials-handling/air-transportation/remote-aircraft-pilot/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
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Featured Value Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
South Dakota State University tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the The Plains States Region. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Students borrow a median of $24,989 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from South Dakota State University generally make around $51,260. Set against $24,989 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Dakota earned it the #2 place for value. University Of North Dakota is a large public school located in the city of Grand Forks. In-state tuition and fees average $10,951, with out-of-state students paying around $15,570. Students borrow a median of $22,769 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of University Of North Dakota earn a median of $75,100 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,769 median debt. University Of North Dakota admits about 77% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
