2026 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/applied-psychology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for applied psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the applied psychology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Applied Psychology Schools
Leading the list is University Of Missouri St Louis, our #1 best value for applied psychology in the The Plains States Region. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,120, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Typical student debt for applied psychology graduates is $25,943. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis generally make around $56,723. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 63%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Missouri University Of Science And Technology earned it the #2 place for applied psychology. Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rolla. Students from in state pay about $14,984 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,248. Typical student debt for applied psychology graduates is $25,187. Applied Psychology graduates of Missouri University Of Science And Technology earn a median of $74,532 early in their careers. Set against $25,187 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Wichita State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value applied psychology schools. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Students borrow a median of $24,262 to complete the applied psychology program here. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from Wichita State University generally make around $49,278. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wichita State University admits about 94% of applicants.
Capella University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value applied psychology schools. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,400. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $35,998 in student loans. Applied Psychology graduates of Capella University earn a median of $57,897 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Saint Marys University Of Minnesota came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value applied psychology schools. Located in the town of Winona, Saint Marys University Of Minnesota is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,080. Typical student debt for applied psychology graduates is $27,081. Applied Psychology graduates of Saint Marys University Of Minnesota earn a median of $67,111 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,081 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Ottawa University Ottawa earned the #6 position for value in applied psychology this year. Ottawa University Ottawa is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Ottawa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,880. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $30,416 in student loans. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $52,174. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ottawa University Ottawa admits about 83% of applicants.
Bellevue University earned the #7 position for value in applied psychology this year. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,873. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,846 in student loans. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $61,548. That is a strong return on a $24,846 median debt.
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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 · 13 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.
