2026 Best Value General Educational Leadership & Administration Schools in Iowa

[General Educational Leadership & Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/educational-leadership-and-administration-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general educational leadership & administration schools.
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2026 Best Value General Educational Leadership & Administration Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general educational leadership & administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Educational Leadership & Administration Schools
University Of Northern Iowa tops our 2026 list of the best value general educational leadership & administration schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete the general educational leadership & administration program here. Early-career general educational leadership & administration graduates make about $73,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Iowa State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general educational leadership & administration schools. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Typical student debt for general educational leadership & administration graduates is $23,495. Early-career general educational leadership & administration graduates make about $53,900. That is a strong return on a $23,495 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Morningside College one of the best values for general educational leadership & administration. Set in the city of Sioux City, Morningside College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $39,519. Students borrow a median of $27,281 to complete the general educational leadership & administration program here. General Educational Leadership & Administration graduates of Morningside College earn a median of $54,988 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Morningside College admits about 71% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwestern College Iowa earned it the #4 place for general educational leadership & administration. Located in the town of Orange City, Northwestern College Iowa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $36,710. Typical student debt for general educational leadership & administration graduates is $25,415. Soon after graduation, general educational leadership & administration degree recipients from Northwestern College Iowa generally make around $57,016. Set against $25,415 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general educational leadership & administration will find it at Dordt College, which ranked #5. Dordt College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Sioux Center. In-state tuition and fees average $37,050. Students borrow a median of $21,812 to complete the general educational leadership & administration program here. General Educational Leadership & Administration graduates of Dordt College earn a median of $72,314 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Drake University earned the #6 position for value in general educational leadership & administration this year. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,960. General Educational Leadership & Administration graduates carry a median of $22,273 in student loans. Early-career general educational leadership & administration graduates make about $64,311. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.