2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Iowa
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for general education students.
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2027 Best Value General Education Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Education Schools
Iowa State University tops our 2027 list of the best value general education schools in Iowa. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. General Education graduates carry a median of $23,496 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $64,634. Set against $23,496 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
A rank of #2 makes Grand View University one of the best values for general education. Set in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $34,762 in tuition and fees. 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #3 place for general education. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $24,463. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $58,049. 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
The ranking above is published 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.
