2026 Best Value Value Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Value](/majors/engineering-technologies/energy-systems/energy-systems-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 23 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
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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
Central Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in the The Plains States Region. Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Grand Island. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,360, with out-of-state students paying around $4,800. Students borrow a median of $10,277 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Central Community College earn a median of $43,218 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southeast Community College Area is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Southeast Community College Area is a large public school located in the city of Lincoln. Students from in state pay about $3,444 in tuition and fees, compared with $4,032 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $104,847. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Century College, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,214. Value graduates carry a median of $21,332 in student loans. Value graduates of Century College earn a median of $47,502 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 23 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.
