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2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Iowa

[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for higher education/higher education administration students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Iowa

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the higher education/higher education administration degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools

1

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$10,787 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,495 Avg Student Debt

$63,386 Median Earnings (10yr)

Iowa State University earned the #1 spot for value among higher education/higher education administration schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $23,495 in student loans. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $53,900. That is a strong return on a $23,495 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.

2

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$11,283 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,463 Avg Student Debt

$64,762 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #2 place for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $67,785 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,463 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.

View All Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.