2026 Best Value Writing Studies Schools in Iowa

[Writing Studies](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong writing studies education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for writing studies students.
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2026 Best Value Writing Studies Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in writing studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Writing Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of Iowa, our #1 best value for writing studies in Iowa. 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. Typical student debt for writing studies graduates is $24,862. Writing Studies graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $29,651 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
Drake University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value writing studies schools. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the writing studies program here. Writing Studies graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 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 list is compiled 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 · 13 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.