2026 Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Accounting and Business/Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/accounting/accounting-and-business-management/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for accounting and business/management students.
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2026 Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the accounting and business/management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools
Colby Community College earned the #1 spot for value among accounting and business/management schools in the The Plains States Region. Colby Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Colby. Students from in state pay about $4,140 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,830. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $14,796 in student loans. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $40,598. That is a strong return on a $14,796 median debt.
Minnesota West Community And Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in accounting and business/management, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Granite Falls, Minnesota West Community And Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,491. Students borrow a median of $13,946 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Minnesota West Community And Technical College earn a median of $43,009 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in accounting and business/management will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $61,691 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,250 median debt. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Park University one of the best values for accounting and business/management. Located in the suburb of Parkville, Park University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,116. Students borrow a median of $28,461 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $50,801. That is a strong return on a $28,461 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in accounting and business/management will find it at University Of Mary, which ranked #5. University Of Mary is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Bismarck. In-state tuition and fees average $22,356. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $26,983. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from University Of Mary generally make around $65,565. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Maharishi University Of Management ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value accounting and business/management schools. Located in the town of Fairfield, Maharishi University Of Management is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,530. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $73,644. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Sioux Falls ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value accounting and business/management schools. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,750. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $26,000. Accounting And Business/management graduates of University Of Sioux Falls earn a median of $49,325 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 83%.
Drake University earned the #8 position for value in accounting and business/management this year. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,960. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $56,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 14 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.
