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2026 Best Value Medical Scientist Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Medical Scientist](/majors/health-care-professions/medical-science/medical-scientist/) 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.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for medical scientist students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Medical Scientist Schools in the The Plains States Region

2026 Best Value Medical Scientist Schools in the The Plains States Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the medical scientist degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Medical Scientist Schools

1

Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN

$10,245 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,076 Avg Student Debt

$55,813 Median Earnings (10yr)

Saint Cloud State University tops our 2026 list of the best value medical scientist schools in the The Plains States Region. Set in the city of Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud State University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,245. Typical student debt for medical scientist graduates is $25,076. Soon after graduation, medical scientist degree recipients from Saint Cloud State University generally make around $51,625. Set against $25,076 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Cloud State University admits about 95% of applicants.

2

Washington University In St Louis
St. Louis, MO

$65,790 In-State Tuition & Fees

$17,553 Avg Student Debt

$86,182 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Washington University In St Louis one of the best values for medical scientist. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $65,790 in tuition and fees. Medical Scientist graduates carry a median of $17,553 in student loans. Medical Scientist graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of $68,303 early in their careers. Set against $17,553 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.

View All Medical Scientist Rankings >

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 · 11 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.