2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Iowa
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/education-general/) 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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general education students.
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2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
Leading the list is Iowa State University, our #1 best value for general education in Iowa. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. General Education graduates carry a median of $23,496 in student loans. General Education graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $64,634 early in their careers. Set against $23,496 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Grand View University one of the best values for general education. Located in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,762. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $26,941. Early-career general education graduates make about $45,180. Set against $26,941 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at University Of Iowa, which ranked #3. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. General Education graduates carry a median of $24,463 in student loans. General Education graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $58,049 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 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.
