2026 Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Non-Professional General Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong non-professional general legal studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 23 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value non-professional general legal studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in non-professional general legal studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Non-Professional General Legal Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Hamline University the best value for a degree in non-professional general legal studies in the The Plains States Region. Hamline University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Paul. In-state tuition and fees average $50,004. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the non-professional general legal studies program here. Early-career non-professional general legal studies graduates make about $40,059. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Hamline University admits about 88% of applicants.
Webster University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value non-professional general legal studies schools. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Webster University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $31,750. Non-Professional General Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $25,939 in student loans. Soon after graduation, non-professional general legal studies degree recipients from Webster University generally make around $57,152. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Webster University admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in non-professional general legal studies will find it at Bellevue University, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,873. Typical student debt for non-professional general legal studies graduates is $37,250. Early-career non-professional general legal studies graduates make about $44,839. That is a strong return on a $37,250 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in non-professional general legal studies will find it at Drake University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the non-professional general legal studies program here. Non-Professional General Legal Studies graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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 3 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.
