2026 Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools in the The Plains States Region
[General Public Policy Analysis](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-policy/public-policy-analysis-general/) 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 19 schools to find the best return on investment for general public policy analysis students.
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Featured General Public Policy Analysis Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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2026 Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general public policy analysis, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Public Policy Analysis Schools
For return on investment in general public policy analysis, no school beat University Of Northern Iowa this year. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete the general public policy analysis program here. Soon after graduation, general public policy analysis degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. That is a strong return on a $22,635 median debt. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Minnesota Twin Cities one of the best values for general public policy analysis. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, while out-of-state students pay about $38,362. General Public Policy Analysis graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general public policy analysis degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $61,239. That is a strong return on a $21,577 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Washington University In St Louis earned it the #3 place for general public policy analysis. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,790. Typical student debt for general public policy analysis graduates is $17,553. Soon after graduation, general public policy analysis degree recipients from Washington University In St Louis generally make around $68,303. That is a strong return on a $17,553 median debt. Washington University In St Louis admits about 12% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 19 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.
