2026 Best Value Educational Administration Schools in Iowa
[Educational Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value educational administration schools.
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2026 Best Value Educational Administration Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in educational administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Educational Administration Schools
University Of Northern Iowa earned the #1 spot for value among educational 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 educational administration program here. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $73,847. That is a strong return on a $22,635 median debt. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Iowa State University one of the best values for educational administration. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $23,495. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $53,900. Set against $23,495 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for educational administration. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $24,463. Educational Administration graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $67,785 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,463 median debt. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
Morningside College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value educational administration schools. Morningside College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux City. Students from in state pay about $39,519 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,281 to complete the educational administration program here. Soon after graduation, educational administration degree recipients from Morningside College generally make around $54,988. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwestern College Iowa earned it the #5 place for educational administration. Located in the town of Orange City, Northwestern College Iowa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,710. Typical student debt for educational administration graduates is $25,415. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $57,016. Set against $25,415 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Dordt College earned the #6 position for value in educational administration this year. Dordt College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Sioux Center. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,050. Educational Administration graduates carry a median of $21,812 in student loans. Early-career educational administration graduates make about $72,314. Set against $21,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Drake University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value educational administration schools. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the educational administration program here. Educational Administration graduates of Drake University earn a median of $64,311 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
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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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
