2026 Best Value Actuarial Science Schools in Iowa
[Actuarial Science](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/management-science-quantitative-methods/actuarial-science/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for actuarial science students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Actuarial Science Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the actuarial science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Actuarial Science Schools
Our analysis ranked Iowa State University the best value for a degree in actuarial science in Iowa. 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. Actuarial Science graduates carry a median of $23,495 in student loans. Soon after graduation, actuarial science degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $53,900. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in actuarial science will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Actuarial Science graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, actuarial science degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $90,168. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Cornell College one of the best values for actuarial science. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Mount Vernon. Students from in state pay about $52,660 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the actuarial science program here. Soon after graduation, actuarial science degree recipients from Cornell College generally make around $35,545. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Cornell College admits about 80% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for actuarial science. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Typical student debt for actuarial science graduates is $23,979. Early-career actuarial science graduates make about $80,044. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
More Actuarial Science Rankings
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Notes and References
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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
