2026 Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Orthodontics/Orthodontology](/majors/health-care-professions/advanced-dentistry-oral-sciences/orthodontics-orthodontology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for orthodontics/orthodontology students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the orthodontics/orthodontology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Orthodontics/Orthodontology Schools
Leading the list is University Of Minnesota Twin Cities, our #1 best value for orthodontics/orthodontology in the The Plains States Region. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Orthodontics/orthodontology graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of $56,395 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,577 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in orthodontics/orthodontology, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the orthodontics/orthodontology program here. Early-career orthodontics/orthodontology graduates make about $209,502. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Saint Louis University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for orthodontics/orthodontology. Located in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,760. Typical student debt for orthodontics/orthodontology graduates is $26,586. Soon after graduation, orthodontics/orthodontology degree recipients from Saint Louis University Main Campus generally make around $244,603. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% 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 · 7 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.
