2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agriculture-veterinary-prep/pre-veterinary-studies/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Northwest Missouri State University earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in the The Plains States Region. Northwest Missouri State University is a large public school located in the town of Maryville. In-state tuition and fees average $10,611, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $23,585 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $42,939. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Nebraska Lincoln, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Lincoln, University Of Nebraska Lincoln is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,434, while out-of-state students pay about $28,584. Value graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Nebraska Lincoln generally make around $49,755. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. University Of Nebraska Lincoln admits about 88% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kansas State University earned it the #3 place for value. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Students borrow a median of $23,546 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,543 early in their careers. Set against $23,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
