---

2026 Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools in the The Plains States Region

[Urban Studies/Affairs](/majors/social-sciences/urban-studies/urban-studies-affairs/) 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.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for urban studies/affairs students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools in the The Plains States Region

2026 Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools in the The Plains States Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the urban studies/affairs degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Urban Studies/Affairs Schools

1

University Of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City, MO

$13,371 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,741 Avg Student Debt

$59,637 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked University Of Missouri Kansas City the best value for a degree in urban studies/affairs in the The Plains States Region. Set in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,371, while out-of-state students pay about $32,271. Urban Studies/affairs graduates carry a median of $23,741 in student loans. Urban Studies/affairs graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of $60,324 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Minnesota Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN

$17,214 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,550 Avg Student Debt

$69,020 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Minnesota Twin Cities came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value urban studies/affairs schools. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public school located in the city of Minneapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Urban Studies/affairs graduates carry a median of $20,550 in student loans. Early-career urban studies/affairs graduates make about $27,966. That is a strong return on a $20,550 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.

View All Urban Studies/Affairs Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 8 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.