2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Iowa
[Journalism](/majors/communication-journalism-media/journalism/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for journalism students.
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2027 Best Value Journalism Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in journalism, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Journalism Schools
Our analysis ranked Iowa State University the best value for a degree in journalism in Iowa. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the journalism program here. Journalism graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $39,347 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Students borrow a median of $25,907 to complete the journalism program here. Journalism graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $54,887 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,907 median debt. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Drake University one of the best values for journalism. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the journalism program here. Journalism graduates of Drake University earn a median of $41,913 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 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.
