2027 Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools in Iowa

[General Business/Commerce](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/general-business-commerce/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general business/commerce education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for general business/commerce students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general business/commerce degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools
Waldorf College earned the #1 spot for value among general business/commerce schools in Iowa. Located in the rural area of Forest City, Waldorf College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,978. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general business/commerce program here. General Business/commerce graduates of Waldorf College earn a median of $51,954 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Mount Mercy University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general business/commerce, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy University is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,878. Typical student debt for general business/commerce graduates is $33,583. Early-career general business/commerce graduates make about $57,572. Set against $33,583 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Dordt College one of the best values for general business/commerce. Located in the town of Sioux Center, Dordt College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,050. General Business/commerce graduates carry a median of $21,812 in student loans. General Business/commerce graduates of Dordt College earn a median of $54,926 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,812 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Students looking for strong value in general business/commerce will find it at Drake University, which ranked #4. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general business/commerce graduates is $22,273. General Business/commerce 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. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Wartburg College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general business/commerce, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Waverly, Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $26,250 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general business/commerce program here. General Business/commerce graduates of Wartburg College earn a median of $54,652 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.