2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region
282
Colleges
$58,805
Avg Salary*
56%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when you have so many options available. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Plains States Region Colleges ranking.
After analyzing 282 schools in the Plains States Region , we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Our ranking is based on over 20 objective factors, including post graduate earnings, freshman retention, and graduation rate. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
Custom Rankings
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Top Colleges in the Plains States Region
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Washington University in St Louis tops this year’s ranking as the best school in the Plains States Region for overall quality. WUSTL is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5,763 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 89%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from WUSTL is $82,732 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Washington University in St Louis
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list means A T Still University of Health Sciences is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Kirksville, Missouri, and it awarded 1,362 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%
Read full report on A T Still University of Health Sciences
Out of the 282 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 459 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 3 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mayo Clinic School of Medicine make an average of $68,712 per year during the early years of their career.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. MBTS is located in Kansas City, Missouri and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 662 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from MBTS make an average of $41,664 a year.
Full Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Report
Out of the 282 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the large public school handed out 14,640 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,201 during the early years of their career..
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Palmer College of Chiropractic - Davenport ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 664 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic - Davenport make an average of $41,367 per year during the early years of their career.
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University of Nebraska Medical Center did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #7. UNMC is a small public school situated in Omaha, Nebraska. It awarded 1,202 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 2 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. During the early years of their career, graduates from UNMC make an average of $73,342 a year.
Read full report on University of Nebraska Medical Center
Iowa State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. Iowa State is a public institution located in Ames, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8,681 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State go into careers with an average salary of $57,351 during the early years of their career.
Full Iowa State University Report
With a ranking of #9, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. This large public school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 9,628 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Iowa make an average of $58,274 a year.
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Concordia Seminary came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. Concordia Seminary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a small population, and it awarded 125 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%
Full Concordia Seminary Report
Luther Seminary landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 128 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Luther Seminary
Carleton College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #12.Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 517 students in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 88%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Carleton make an average of $67,132 a year.
Full Carleton College Report
Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking.Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,405 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology go into careers with an average salary of $80,289 during the early years of their career.
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Grinnell College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Grinnell is located in Grinnell, Iowa and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 496 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Grinnell is $59,488 during the early years of their career.
Full Grinnell College Report
Creighton University landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2,878 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. During the early years of their career, graduates from Creighton make an average of $66,524 a year.
Full Creighton University Report
With a ranking of #16, Ranken Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 701 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Ranken Technical College make an average of $54,941 a year.
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With a ranking of #17, University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. Mizzou is a public institution located in Columbia, Missouri. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,036 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,986 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of Missouri - Columbia
University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the large public school handed out 6,179 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UNL make an average of $52,360 per year during the early years of their career.
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University of Kansas landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. University of Kansas is a large public school located in Lawrence, Kansas that handed out 7,358 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from KU go into careers with an average salary of $56,386 during the early years of their career.
Full University of Kansas Report
University of St Thomas Minnesota ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list.Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 3,066 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UST MN go into careers with an average salary of $67,398 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of St Thomas Minnesota
With a ranking of #21, Capella University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region list. Capella University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14,837 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Capella University go into careers with an average salary of $59,307 during the early years of their career.
Full Capella University Report
Hennepin Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the small public school awarded 1,610 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Hennepin Technical College make an average of $43,390 a year.
Full Hennepin Technical College Report
Northwestern Health Sciences University landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Bloomington, Minnesota, and it awarded 264 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from NWHSU make an average of $35,057 a year.
Read full report on Northwestern Health Sciences University
St Olaf College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Northfield, Minnesota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 942 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from St. Olaf make an average of $60,242 a year.
Read full report on St Olaf College
University of Northern Iowa came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Plains States Region ranking. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3,013 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UNI make an average of $49,563 per year during the early years of their career.
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