by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
After analyzing 138 schools in the Plains States Region , we came up with our list of those that offered the best value Associate Degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking is determined by first looking at the combined costs of average tuition, fees, and room and board before any aid is applied. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Hennepin Technical College to be the best value (no aid) school for associate degrees in the Plains States Region in this year’s ranking. Hennepin Technical College is a small public school situated in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Not only is Hennepin Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,675 a year.
The quality degree programs at Lake Area Technical Institute helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region. LATI is located in Watertown, South Dakota and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Lake Area Technical Institute has the honor of being ranked #2 in South Dakota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,988 a year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ranken Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Ranken Technical College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Ranken Technical College is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,914 a year for undergraduates.
Out of the 138 associate degree schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Park University landed the #4 spot on the list. Park University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Parkville, Missouri.
Park University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Missouri for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,937 a year for undergraduates.
The quality degree programs at Dakota County Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region. DCTC is a small public school situated in Rosemount, Minnesota.
Not only is Dakota County Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,678 a year.
Metropolitan Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #6. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Metropolitan Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Nebraska for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $10,935 a year for undergraduates.
Century College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Century College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,049 a year.
Normandale Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Normandale Community College is a public institution located in Bloomington, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Normandale Community College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,049 a year for undergraduates.
Mitchell Technical College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Mitchell Tech is located in Mitchell, South Dakota and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Mitchell Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #3 in South Dakota for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,524 a year.
Bismarck State College landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. BSC is located in Bismarck, North Dakota and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Bismarck State College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of North Dakota. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,387 a year.
With a ranking of #11, Flint Hills Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Emporia, Kansas.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Flint Hills Technical College is ranked #5 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,332 a year for undergraduates.
South Dakota State University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Brookings, South Dakota.
Not only is South Dakota State University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in South Dakota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $20,863 a year for undergraduates.
With a ranking of #13, Garden City Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Garden City Community College is located in Garden City, Kansas and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Garden City Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Kansas for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $10,846 a year for undergraduates.
Anoka Technical College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Anoka Technical College is a small public school located in Anoka, Minnesota.
Not only is Anoka Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #11 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,851 a year.
Alexandria Technical & Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #15. ATCC is a small public school situated in Alexandria, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Alexandria Technical & Community College is ranked #13 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $11,372 a year.
Learn More About Value at Alexandria Technical & Community College
St Cloud Technical and Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. This small public school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, St Cloud Technical and Community College is ranked #10 for quality in the state of Minnesota. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,274 a year for undergraduates.
Learn More About Value at St Cloud Technical and Community College
Des Moines Area Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. DMACC is located in Ankeny, Iowa and has a large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Des Moines Area Community College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $17,942 a year for undergraduates.
Columbia College landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. Columbia College Missouri is located in Columbia, Missouri and has a medium-sized student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Columbia College is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Missouri. The average cost without aid for the school is $20,136 a year for undergraduates.
Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #19. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in Rochester, Minnesota.
Rochester Community and Technical College has the honor of being ranked #15 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $12,572 a year.
With a ranking of #20, Salina Area Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. Salina Tech is a small public school situated in Salina, Kansas.
Salina Area Technical College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Kansas for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,788 a year for undergraduates.
Johnson County Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #21. Overland Park, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Johnson County Community College is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Kansas. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,984 a year for undergraduates.
North Dakota State College of Science ranked #22 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region list. This small public school is located in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Not only is North Dakota State College of Science a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in North Dakota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,274 a year for undergraduates.
North Hennepin Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking. North Hennepin Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Not only is North Hennepin Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,886 a year for undergraduates.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized public school is located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
Not only is Minnesota State Community and Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #18 in Minnesota for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,586 a year for undergraduates.
Learn More About Value at Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Central Lakes College - Brainerd did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #25. Brainerd, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Central Lakes College - Brainerd has the honor of being ranked #21 in Minnesota for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $11,624 a year.
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These schools also performed well in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in the Plains States Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Ridgewater College | Willmar, MN | Value Report |
| 27 | Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology | Wichita, KS | Value Report |
| 28 | St Charles Community College | Cottleville, MO | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.