2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in the The Plains States Region
[Human Services](/majors/social-services-public-administration/human-services/) 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 77 schools to find the best return on investment for human services students.
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2026 Best Value Human Services Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in human services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Human Services Schools
Our analysis ranked Metropolitan Community College Area the best value for a degree in human services in the The Plains States Region. Metropolitan Community College Area is a very large public school located in the city of Omaha. In-state tuition and fees average $3,375, with out-of-state students paying around $4,950. Human Services graduates carry a median of $9,728 in student loans. Early-career human services graduates make about $34,392. Set against $9,728 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes St Charles Community College one of the best values for human services. Located in the suburb of Cottleville, St Charles Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,810, with out-of-state students paying around $7,620. Students borrow a median of $12,606 to complete the human services program here. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from St Charles Community College generally make around $47,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Riverland Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Located in the town of Austin, Riverland Community College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,297. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $15,732. Human Services graduates of Riverland Community College earn a median of $49,194 early in their careers. Set against $15,732 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Century College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human services, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,214. Students borrow a median of $37,015 to complete the human services program here. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Century College generally make around $41,007. That is a strong return on a $37,015 median debt.
South Central College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human services, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of North Mankato, South Central College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,146. Students borrow a median of $13,139 to complete the human services program here. Human Services graduates of South Central College earn a median of $46,447 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,139 median debt.
Iowa Central Community College landed the #6 spot for human services value this year. Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Fort Dodge. In-state tuition and fees average $5,496, while out-of-state students pay about $7,788. Human Services graduates carry a median of $16,135 in student loans. Human Services graduates of Iowa Central Community College earn a median of $39,624 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fond Du Lac Tribal And Community College came in at #7 for value in human services this year. Set in the town of Cloquet, Fond Du Lac Tribal And Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,006 in tuition and fees. Human Services graduates carry a median of $21,773 in student loans. Early-career human services graduates make about $46,247. Set against $21,773 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Washburn University landed the #8 spot for human services value this year. Washburn University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Topeka. In-state tuition and fees average $9,945, while out-of-state students pay about $20,949. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $21,175. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Washburn University generally make around $50,955. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Minneapolis Community And Technical College came in at #9 for value in human services this year. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Community And Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,161 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $39,289. Human Services graduates of Minneapolis Community And Technical College earn a median of $29,762 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $39,289 median debt.
Concordia University Saint Paul came in at #10 for value in human services this year. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Concordia University Saint Paul is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $25,600. Students borrow a median of $29,026 to complete the human services program here. Early-career human services graduates make about $58,285. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #11 for value in human services this year. Set in the town of Watertown, Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,718. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the human services program here. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Lake Area Technical Institute generally make around $26,730. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Buena Vista University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Set in the town of Storm Lake, Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,798. Human Services graduates carry a median of $29,317 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Buena Vista University generally make around $44,780. Set against $29,317 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Capella University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Set in the city of Minneapolis, Capella University is a very large private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,400. Human Services graduates carry a median of $35,998 in student loans. Human Services graduates of Capella University earn a median of $62,133 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Evangel University College Of Online Learning placed #14 among the best values for human services. Set in the city of Springfield, Evangel University College Of Online Learning is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,175. Graduates go on to earn a median of $46,573 ten years after entry. The acceptance rate is 49%.
University Of South Dakota landed the #15 spot for human services value this year. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,432, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $26,322. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from University Of South Dakota generally make around $74,147. That is a strong return on a $26,322 median debt. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Metropolitan State University landed the #16 spot for human services value this year. Metropolitan State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Saint Paul. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,840. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete the human services program here. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Metropolitan State University generally make around $45,751. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Rasmussen College Minnesota ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Rasmussen College Minnesota is a large private for-profit school located in the city of St. Cloud. In-state tuition and fees average $12,199. Students borrow a median of $36,597 to complete the human services program here. Human Services graduates of Rasmussen College Minnesota earn a median of $36,998 early in their careers. Set against $36,597 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Upper Iowa University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best value human services schools. Located in the rural area of Fayette, Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $19,475. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $45,388. Human Services graduates of Upper Iowa University earn a median of $39,389 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $45,388 median debt. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Columbia College Missouri came in at #19 for value in human services this year. Located in the city of Columbia, Columbia College Missouri is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,276. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $36,544. Early-career human services graduates make about $36,286. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Webster University earned the #20 position for value in human services this year. Webster University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $31,750. Typical student debt for human services graduates is $25,939. Early-career human services graduates make about $43,936. That is a strong return on a $25,939 median debt. Webster University admits about 86% of applicants.
Bellevue University earned the #21 position for value in human services this year. Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Bellevue. Students from in state pay about $12,873 in tuition and fees. Human Services graduates carry a median of $10,312 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Bellevue University generally make around $61,548. Set against $10,312 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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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 · 77 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
