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2026 Best Value Homeland Security Schools in Iowa

[Homeland Security](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/homeland-security/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for homeland security students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Homeland Security Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Homeland Security Schools in Iowa

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the homeland security degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Homeland Security Schools

1

Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny, IA

$5,790 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,869 Avg Student Debt

$41,018 Median Earnings (10yr)

Des Moines Area Community College earned the #1 spot for value among homeland security schools in Iowa. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Typical student debt for homeland security graduates is $22,869. Early-career homeland security graduates make about $54,209. That is a strong return on a $22,869 median debt.

2

Waldorf College
Forest City, IA

$25,978 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,437 Avg Student Debt

$51,165 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Waldorf College earned it the #2 place for homeland security. Waldorf College is a mid-sized private for-profit school located in the rural area of Forest City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,978. Homeland Security graduates carry a median of $23,437 in student loans. Homeland Security graduates of Waldorf College earn a median of $66,446 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.

View All Homeland Security Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced 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 · 3 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.