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2026 Best Value Value Schools in Iowa

[Value](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/marketing/digital-marketing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Value Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Value Schools in Iowa

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Value Schools

1

University Of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA

$9,936 In-State Tuition & Fees

$17,750 Avg Student Debt

$55,177 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Northern Iowa tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Value graduates carry a median of $17,750 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $48,990. Set against $17,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 93%.

2

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$10,787 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,250 Avg Student Debt

$63,386 Median Earnings (10yr)

Iowa State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $48,304 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 2 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.