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Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

111 Colleges
$4,949 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$28,497 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Liberal Arts General Studies School for You

In 2020-2021, 556,813 degrees and certificates were awarded to liberal arts general studies students, making the major the most popular in the country.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 111 schools in the Plains States Region to see which programs offered the best value experiences for liberal arts students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

Check out the liberal arts programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Top 15% Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools

Our analysis found Haskell Indian Nations University to be the best value school for liberal arts general studies students who want to pursue a degree in the Plains States Region . Haskell is a fairly small public school located in the small city of Lawrence.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Haskell Indian Nations University

$3,780 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Southeast Community College Area. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Southeast Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the large city of Lincoln.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southeast Community College are $3,780 a year. Liberal Arts majors at Southeast Community College take out an average of $11,000 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Southeast Community College Area

$3,570 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Highland Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best liberal arts general studies schools in the Plains States Region . Located in the rural area of Highland, Highland Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Highland Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,570 in tuition and fees each year. Liberal Arts majors at Highland Community College take out an average of $11,728 in student loans while working on their egree.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Highland Community College Report

#4

Leech Lake Tribal College

Cass Lake, MN
$3,926 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Leech Lake Tribal College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the rural area of Cass Lake, Leech Lake Tribal College is a public school with a fairly small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Leech Lake Tribal College are $3,926 per year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Leech Lake Tribal College

$4,680 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Metropolitan Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. MCC is a large public school located in the city of Omaha.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at MCC are $4,680 a year. After completing their degree, liberal arts graduates from MCC carry an average student debtload of $9,053.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Metropolitan Community College

#6

North Hennepin Community College

Brooklyn Park, MN

North Hennepin Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the large suburb of Brooklyn Park, North Hennepin Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at North Hennepin Community College are $4,882 per year. On average, liberal arts graduates from North Hennepin Community College take out $15,625 in student loans while working on their degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, North Hennepin Community College also is in the top 10% of our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at North Hennepin Community College Report

Anoka-Ramsey Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Coon Rapids.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus undergraduate students pay an average of $5,515 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus take out is $13,000.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Coon Rapids Campus excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Anoka-Ramsey Community College Report

#8

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS

Johnson County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for liberal arts general studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. JCCC is a fairly large public school located in the city of Overland Park.

JCCC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,352 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, liberal arts majors at JCCC accumulate an average of around $10,000 in student debt.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Johnson County Community College

Rochester Community and Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for liberal arts general studies students. It came in at #9 on the list. Rochester Community and Technical College is a small public school located in the city of Rochester.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Rochester Community and Technical College are $5,372 per year. While working on their degree, liberal arts majors at Rochester Community and Technical College accumulate an average of around $15,500 in student debt.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Rochester Community and Technical College Report

St Cloud Technical and Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the small city of Saint Cloud, St Cloud Technical and Community College is a public school with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at St Cloud Technical and Community College are $5,874 per year. While working on their degree, liberal arts majors at St Cloud Technical and Community College accumulate an average of around $14,250 in student debt.

Read More…

#11

Normandale Community College

Bloomington, MN

Normandale Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the small city of Bloomington, Normandale Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Normandale Community College are $5,789 a year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Normandale Community College take out is $12,620.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Normandale Community College also is in the top 15% of our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Normandale Community College Report

$6,052 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #12, Northland Community and Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students. Located in the remote town of Thief River Falls, Northland Community and Technical College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northland Community and Technical College are $6,052 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Northland Community and Technical College take out is $13,200.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Northland Community and Technical College

#13

Garden City Community College

Garden City, KS
$4,020 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #13, Garden City Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students. Located in the town of Garden City, Garden City Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Garden City Community College are $4,020 per year. Liberal Arts majors at Garden City Community College take out an average of $6,476 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Garden City Community College

#14

Century College

White Bear Lake, MN
$5,907 Average Tuition & Fees

Century College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the suburb of White Bear Lake, Century College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Century College are $5,907 a year. On average, liberal arts graduates from Century College take out $14,376 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Century College Report

#15

Central Community College

Grand Island, NE
$4,590 Average Tuition & Fees

Central Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in the city of Grand Island, Central Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Central Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,590 in tuition and fees each year. On average, liberal arts graduates from Central Community College take out $8,466 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Central Community College Report

$3,570 Average Tuition & Fees

Cloud County Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Cloud County Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Concordia.

Cloud County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $3,570 in tuition and fees each year. On average, liberal arts graduates from Cloud County Community College take out $10,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read More…

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Region award.

Rank College Location
17 Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA
18 Labette Community College Parsons, KS
19 Lake Superior College Duluth, MN
20 Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights, MN
21 Barton County Community College Great Bend, KS
22 Fort Scott Community College Fort Scott, KS

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best liberal arts general studies schools for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Missouri 8,280
Minnesota 6,264
Kansas 6,339
Iowa 5,966
Nebraska 1,612
North Dakota 953
South Dakota 222

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 25 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 the rest 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.

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