2026 Best Journalism Schools in Iowa
Journalism degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for journalism students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Journalism in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall journalism education in Iowa.
Top Schools in Journalism
Iowa State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in journalism. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Iowa State University awarded about 41 journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, journalism degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $39,347. Typical student debt for the program is $23,250.
More information about a degree in journalism from Iowa State University
University Of Iowa is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in journalism, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. University Of Iowa graduates 75% of students within six years. About 102 journalism degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Graduates of the journalism program make about $54,887 in their early career. University Of Iowa graduates carry a median of $25,907 in student loans.
Read more about the journalism program at University Of Iowa
Drake University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in journalism, ranking #3. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Des Moines. About 73% of students finish within six years. Drake University awarded about 13 journalism degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their journalism degree from Drake University earn around $41,913 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete this degree.
Get the full journalism details for Drake University
View All Journalism Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 13 schools evaluated.
- 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.
