[Instructional Media Design](/majors/education/instructional-media-design/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong instructional media design education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for instructional media design students.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in instructional media design, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Northern Iowa earned the #1 spot for value among instructional media design 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, while out-of-state students pay about $21,712. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $22,635. Instructional Media Design graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $46,054 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
A rank of #2 makes Buena Vista University one of the best values for instructional media design. Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Storm Lake. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,798. Typical student debt for instructional media design graduates is $29,317. Instructional Media Design graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median of $44,780 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,317 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More Instructional Media Design Rankings
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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 · 4 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.
