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2026 Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools in Iowa

[General Industrial Engineering](/majors/engineering/ie-industrial-engineering/general-industrial-engineering/) 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 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general industrial engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools in Iowa

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

Best Value General Industrial Engineering Schools

1

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$10,787 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,750 Avg Student Debt

$63,386 Median Earnings (10yr)

Iowa State University earned the #1 spot for value among general industrial engineering schools in Iowa. 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. General Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Early-career general industrial engineering graduates make about $94,216. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.

2

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$11,283 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,540 Avg Student Debt

$64,762 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in general industrial engineering will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. General Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,540 in student loans. General Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $75,699 early in their careers. Set against $22,540 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.

View All General Industrial Engineering Rankings >

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 · 4 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.