2026 Best Value History Education Schools in Iowa
[History Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/history-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong history education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for history education students.
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2026 Best Value History Education Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value History Education Schools
For return on investment in history education, no school beat Buena Vista University this year. Set in the town of Storm Lake, Buena Vista University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,798. Students borrow a median of $29,008 to complete the history education program here. History Education graduates of Buena Vista University earn a median of $44,551 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $29,008 median debt. Buena Vista University admits about 78% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes William Penn University one of the best values for history education. Set in the town of Oskaloosa, William Penn University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $29,750 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $28,341 to complete the history education program here. Soon after graduation, history education degree recipients from William Penn University generally make around $39,727. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in history education will find it at Wartburg College, which ranked #3. Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waverly. In-state tuition and fees average $26,250. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the history education program here. History Education graduates of Wartburg College earn a median of $45,677 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Morningside College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in history education, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Sioux City, Morningside College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,519. Students borrow a median of $28,000 to complete the history education program here. Soon after graduation, history education degree recipients from Morningside College generally make around $52,560. Set against $28,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in history education will find it at Northwestern College Iowa, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Orange City, Northwestern College Iowa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,710. Typical student debt for history education graduates is $25,415. History Education graduates of Northwestern College Iowa earn a median of $54,845 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,415 median debt. Northwestern College Iowa admits about 80% of applicants.
More History Education Rankings
View All History Education Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 8 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.
