2026 Best Value Native American Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Native American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/native-american-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong native american studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 25 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value native american studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Native American Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the native american studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Native American Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Oglala Lakota College the best value for a degree in native american studies in the The Plains States Region. Set in the rural area of Kyle, Oglala Lakota College is a small public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,684. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $22,517.
Students looking for strong value in native american studies will find it at Haskell Indian Nations University, which ranked #2. Haskell Indian Nations University is a small public school located in the city of Lawrence. In-state tuition and fees average $600. Early-career native american studies graduates make about $23,887. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in native american studies will find it at University Of Minnesota Twin Cities, which ranked #3. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Native American Studies graduates carry a median of $21,964 in student loans. Native American Studies graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $33,000 early in their careers. Set against $21,964 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Students looking for strong value in native american studies will find it at University Of Kansas, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,102 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Native American Studies graduates carry a median of $23,608 in student loans. Soon after graduation, native american studies degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $56,289. Set against $23,608 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Kansas admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Minnesota State University Mankato one of the best values for native american studies. Set in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,572 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,942 for out-of-state students. Native American Studies graduates carry a median of $24,585 in student loans. Early-career native american studies graduates make about $53,088. That is a strong return on a $24,585 median debt. Minnesota State University Mankato admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Iowa landed the #6 spot for native american studies value this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Native American Studies graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, native american studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $57,375. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 25 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.