by our College Data Analytics Team
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value economics schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Leading the list is Grinnell College, our #1 best value for economics 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. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $16,950. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Grinnell College generally make around $46,791. That is a strong return on a $16,950 median debt. The acceptance rate is 14%.
Students looking for strong value in economics will find it at Iowa State University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $23,414. Early-career economics graduates make about $57,619. That is a strong return on a $23,414 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in economics will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #3. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Students borrow a median of $22,407 to complete the economics program here. Economics graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $50,223 early in their careers. Set against $22,407 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Drake University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #4 spot this year. 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 economics program here. Economics graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 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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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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.