2026 Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Developmental & Child Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/developmental-and-child-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong developmental & child psychology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value developmental & child psychology schools.
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2026 Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in developmental & child psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Developmental & Child Psychology Schools
Leading the list is Fort Hays State University, our #1 best value for developmental & child psychology in the The Plains States Region. Located in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates carry a median of $25,967 in student loans. Early-career developmental & child psychology graduates make about $49,775. Set against $25,967 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Minnesota Twin Cities one of the best values for developmental & child psychology. Set in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,214 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for developmental & child psychology graduates is $20,625. Early-career developmental & child psychology graduates make about $31,027. That is a strong return on a $20,625 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Capella University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in developmental & child psychology, landing the #3 spot this year. Capella University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $14,400. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates carry a median of $35,998 in student loans. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates of Capella University earn a median of $45,399 early in their careers. Set against $35,998 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Metropolitan State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in developmental & child psychology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Saint Paul, Metropolitan State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,840. Developmental & Child Psychology graduates carry a median of $28,375 in student loans. Early-career developmental & child psychology graduates make about $36,600. Set against $28,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Metropolitan State University admits about 99% of applicants.
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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 · 10 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.
