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Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

21 Schools Ranked
$20,795 Avg Student Debt

Today's computer science students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. 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. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Computer Science Degree Search has created its Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. This report analyzed 21 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best graduate certificate programs for computer science students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region of the U.S.

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
$23,736 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found University of St Thomas Minnesota to be the best school for computer science students who want to pursue a graduate certificate in the Plains States Region .

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at UST MN. In fact, around 80% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on University of St Thomas Minnesota

$11,902 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 21 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the # 2 spot on the list.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Missouri University of Science and Technology does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 68% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#3

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri
$22,614 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Saint Louis University. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at SLU. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 57% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Read full report on Saint Louis University

#4

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
$58,288 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Washington University in St Louis is a great place for computer science students working on their graduate certificate.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at WUSTL. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 72% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

#5

University of Missouri - Columbia

Columbia, Missouri
$11,255 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Missouri - Columbia is a great place for computer science students working on their graduate certificate.

Online graduate courses are available at Mizzou, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 67% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on University of Missouri - Columbia

#6

Dakota State University

Madison, South Dakota
$6,731 Average Tuition & Fees

Dakota State University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate computer science programs.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Dakota State. In fact, around 96% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on Dakota State University

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since SMU MN does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 86% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

$9,308 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working on their graduate certificate.

Minnesota State Mankato does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 40% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Report

#9

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota
$19,494 Average Tuition & Fees
$19,400 Avg Student Debt

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities ranked #9 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Graduate Certificate recipients from UMN Twin Cities accumulate an average of $19,400 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at UMN Twin Cities. In 2019-2020 about 65% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#10

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
$6,606 Average Tuition & Fees

Simpson College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Simpson College. In fact, around 38% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Full Simpson College Report

#11

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
$12,065 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Iowa ranked #11 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

One thing to take note of is that Iowa does offer online graduate classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 33% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on University of Iowa

#12

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa
$11,404 Average Tuition & Fees

Iowa State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for computer science students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #12 on the list.

Iowa State does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 54% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Iowa State University

#13

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas
$11,045 Average Tuition & Fees

University of Kansas landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate computer science programs.

Online graduate courses are available at KU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 69% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Full University of Kansas Report

#14

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
$10,237 Average Tuition & Fees

Metropolitan State University landed the #14 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate computer science programs.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Metro State. In fact, around 85% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on Metropolitan State University

$7,752 Average Tuition & Fees
$20,310 Avg Student Debt

University of Nebraska at Omaha ranked #15 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,310 in student loans.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UNOMAHA does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 59% took at least some of their classes online.

Full University of Nebraska at Omaha Report

#16

Capella University

Minneapolis, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Capella University did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working on their graduate certificate.

Since the graduate programs at Capella University are online, the school is an excellent choice for graduate students who need more flexibility than what is offered at some other schools.

Read More…

#17

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #17, University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well on this year’s best schools for computer science students working on their graduate certificate.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at UMSL. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 71% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Full University of Missouri - St Louis Report

#18

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

Park University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Park University. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 85% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

$8,381 Average Tuition & Fees

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #19 on this year’s Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at North Dakota State University. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 20% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#20

Missouri State University - Springfield

Springfield, Missouri
$6,858 Average Tuition & Fees

Missouri State University - Springfield came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region ranking.

Online graduate courses are available at Missouri State, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 72% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Read full report on Missouri State University - Springfield

View Best Graduate Certificate Computer Science Graduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 21 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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