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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Elementary Education (Income $0-$30k) in Iowa

24 Ranked Colleges
1,111 Degrees Awarded
$18,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor's in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Elementary Education is the 19th most popular major in the country with 40,622 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across Iowa, there were 1,121 elementary education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,111 elementary education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,922 and $25,876 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 24 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in elementary education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great elementary education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the elementary education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Elementary Education (Income $0-$30k) in Iowa

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. Iowa State is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 170 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $10,054 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Iowa State

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school awarded 288 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNI, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $10,757 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Elementary Education at University of Northern Iowa

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 114 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa is $12,975 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Elementary Education at University of Iowa

#4

Central College

Pella, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Central College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k. Central is located in Pella, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, Central has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $19,172 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central College.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Central College

#5

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa
#14 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Buena Vista University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Storm Lake, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

BVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $14,210 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Buena Vista University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full BVU Elementary Education Report

#6

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

Simpson College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianola, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Simpson College, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $15,357 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simpson College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Simpson College

#7

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#16 in overall quality

Coe College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

Coe also took the #16 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Coe College is $14,590 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Coe College Elementary Education Report

#8

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa
#9 in overall quality

Wartburg College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Waverly, Iowa, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Wartburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wartburg is $16,334 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Wartburg

#9

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

Northwestern College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern College is located in Orange City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

NWC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NWC is $20,581 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern College Elementary Education Report

#10

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

Cornell College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

Cornell College also took the #12 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $20,458 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cornell College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cornell College Elementary Education Report

#11

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Loras College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

Loras did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Loras is $16,154 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loras College Elementary Education Report

#12

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#7 in overall quality

Dordt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

Dordt also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $24,967 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Dordt University.

The low student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Dordt University Elementary Education Report

#13

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa
#17 in overall quality

Grand View University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, Grand View University has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand View University is $18,481 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Grand View University

#14

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

Luther College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Luther College is located in Decorah, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Luther, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Luther is $16,636 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Luther

#22 in overall quality

Graceland University - Lamoni ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Graceland University - Lamoni is a small school located in Lamoni, Iowa that handed out 37 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Graceland Lamoni not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Graceland Lamoni is $15,015 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Elementary Education at Graceland University - Lamoni

#16

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#18 in overall quality

Mount Mercy University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mount Mercy, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mount Mercy University is $13,992 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Mount Mercy

#17

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

Morningside College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Morningside, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Morningside College is $19,805 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Morningside College Elementary Education Report

#18

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Davenport, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Saint Ambrose University is $23,977 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Elementary Education at St. Ambrose University

#19

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Drake University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Drake University is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

Drake did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $25,212 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Drake University.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Drake

#20

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa
#21 in overall quality

Briar Cliff University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Briar Cliff is located in Sioux City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

Briar Cliff not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $20,372 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Briar Cliff.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Briar Cliff

#21

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa
#20 in overall quality

University of Dubuque did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, UD has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UD is $19,369 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UD Elementary Education Report

#22

Clarke University

Dubuque, Iowa
#23 in overall quality

Clarke University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Clarke is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dubuque, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $32,534 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Clarke University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Clarke

#23

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa
#19 in overall quality

Upper Iowa University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 66 degrees to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIU has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIU is $21,427 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UIU Elementary Education Report

#24

Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant, Iowa
#24 in overall quality

Iowa Wesleyan University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Iowa Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. It awarded 8 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa Wesleyan has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Iowa Wesleyan University is $24,607 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Iowa Wesleyan University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Vgrigas.

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