2026 Best Value Clinical Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Clinical Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/clinical-psychology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong clinical psychology education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Clinical Psychology Schools in the The Plains States Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the clinical psychology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Clinical Psychology Schools
Leading the list is Missouri Southern State University, our #1 best value for clinical psychology in the The Plains States Region. Missouri Southern State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Joplin. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,600, compared with $18,300 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $22,241. Early-career clinical psychology graduates make about $39,434. Set against $22,241 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Missouri Southern State University admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Wichita State University one of the best values for clinical psychology. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,684, with out-of-state students paying around $19,869. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $24,262. Early-career clinical psychology graduates make about $49,278. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Northern Iowa one of the best values for clinical psychology. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete the clinical psychology program here. Soon after graduation, clinical psychology degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Missouri State University Springfield one of the best values for clinical psychology. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Clinical Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,408 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical psychology degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $46,503. Set against $24,408 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Emporia State University earned it the #5 place for clinical psychology. Set in the town of Emporia, Emporia State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,106 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,419 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $23,131. Early-career clinical psychology graduates make about $42,412. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Capella University landed the #6 spot for clinical psychology value this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $35,998. Soon after graduation, clinical psychology degree recipients from Capella University generally make around $57,897. Set against $35,998 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Minnesota State University Mankato landed the #7 spot for clinical psychology value this year. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $25,260. Early-career clinical psychology graduates make about $73,323. That is a strong return on a $25,260 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Dakota placed #8 among the best values for clinical psychology. University Of North Dakota is a large public school located in the city of Grand Forks. In-state tuition and fees average $10,951, while out-of-state students pay about $15,570. Students borrow a median of $25,110 to complete the clinical psychology program here. Soon after graduation, clinical psychology degree recipients from University Of North Dakota generally make around $71,018. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of South Dakota came in at #9 for value in clinical psychology this year. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,432 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,942. Typical student debt for clinical psychology graduates is $26,322. Early-career clinical psychology graduates make about $51,566. Set against $26,322 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Augsburg College earned the #10 position for value in clinical psychology this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, Augsburg College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $45,452 in tuition and fees. Clinical Psychology graduates carry a median of $29,625 in student loans. Soon after graduation, clinical psychology degree recipients from Augsburg College generally make around $31,211. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
