by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/general-chemistry/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general chemistry education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 33 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general chemistry students.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general chemistry degrees they offer, see the list below.
For return on investment in general chemistry, no school beat Grinnell College this year. Set in the town of Grinnell, Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,196. Students borrow a median of $17,154 to complete the general chemistry program here. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $38,888. Set against $17,154 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Iowa State University earned it the #2 place for general chemistry. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $23,250. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $57,326. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for general chemistry. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $25,956 to complete the general chemistry program here. General Chemistry graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $44,847 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,956 median debt. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for general chemistry. 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 general chemistry program here. General Chemistry graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
1
2
3
4
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 · 33 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.