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2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Iowa

[Child Development & Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/) 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.

College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value child development & psychology schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Iowa

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in child development & psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools

1

Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA

$68,196 In-State Tuition & Fees

$17,702 Avg Student Debt

$62,830 Median Earnings (10yr)

Grinnell College tops our 2026 list of the best value child development & psychology schools in Iowa. Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Grinnell. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,196. Students borrow a median of $17,702 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Grinnell College generally make around $28,507. That is a strong return on a $17,702 median debt. The acceptance rate is 14%.

2

Luther College
Decorah, IA

$52,120 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,967 Avg Student Debt

$59,850 Median Earnings (10yr)

Luther College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value child development & psychology schools. Located in the town of Decorah, Luther College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,120. Students borrow a median of $26,967 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $42,426. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.

View All Child Development & Psychology 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 · 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.