by our College Data Analytics Team
[Legal Professions](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for legal professions students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal professions degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in legal professions, no school beat Kirkwood Community College this year. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $25,083 in student loans. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $41,681. Set against $25,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Des Moines Area Community College one of the best values for legal professions. Set in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $12,250 in student loans. Legal Professions graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $49,137 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for legal professions. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the legal professions program here. Legal Professions graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $78,560 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for legal professions. 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 $23,750 to complete the legal professions program here. Legal Professions graduates of Drake University earn a median of $65,618 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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This list is compiled 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.