2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Iowa

[Philosophy & Religious Studies](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 23 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy & religious studies students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy & religious studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools
Maharishi University Of Management earned the #1 spot for value among philosophy & religious studies schools in Iowa. Maharishi University Of Management is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Fairfield. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,530. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates of Maharishi University Of Management earn a median of $73,644 early in their careers. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #2 place for philosophy & religious studies. 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. Philosophy & Religious Studies graduates carry a median of $26,260 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy & religious studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $57,375. Set against $26,260 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 23 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.