2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Iowa
[General Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/general-journalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general journalism education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general journalism students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value General Journalism Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general journalism degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Journalism Schools
Iowa State University tops our 2026 list of the best value general journalism schools in Iowa. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. General Journalism graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. General Journalism graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $39,347 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of Iowa came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general journalism schools. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $25,907 to complete the general journalism program here. General Journalism graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $54,887 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
More General Journalism Rankings
View All General Journalism Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 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.
