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2026 Best Value Microbiology Schools in Iowa

[Microbiology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/microbiological-sciences-immunology/microbiology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value microbiology schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Microbiology Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Microbiology Schools in Iowa

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the microbiology degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Microbiology Schools

1

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$10,787 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,500 Avg Student Debt

$63,386 Median Earnings (10yr)

Iowa State University tops our 2026 list of the best value microbiology schools in Iowa. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for microbiology graduates is $22,500. Early-career microbiology graduates make about $39,019. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.

2

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$11,283 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,463 Avg Student Debt

$64,762 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #2 place for microbiology. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the microbiology program here. Microbiology graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $57,375 early in their careers. Set against $24,463 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.

View All Microbiology Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.