---

2026 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in Iowa

[Legal Assistant/Paralegal](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-support-services/legal-assistant-paralegal/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value legal assistant/paralegal schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in Iowa

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal assistant/paralegal degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools

1

Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA

$6,176 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,083 Avg Student Debt

$41,016 Median Earnings (10yr)

Our analysis ranked Kirkwood Community College the best value for a degree in legal assistant/paralegal in Iowa. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $25,083. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College generally make around $41,681. That is a strong return on a $25,083 median debt.

2

Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny, IA

$5,790 In-State Tuition & Fees

$12,250 Avg Student Debt

$41,018 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Des Moines Area Community College earned it the #2 place for legal assistant/paralegal. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $12,250. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $49,137. That is a strong return on a $12,250 median debt.

View All Legal Assistant/Paralegal 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 · 7 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.