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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Elementary Education in Iowa (With Aid)

24 Ranked Colleges
1,111 Degrees Awarded
$22,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor's in Iowa For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 40,622 people earned their degree in elementary education, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in elementary education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent elementary education programs, but they also 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Elementary Education in Iowa (With Aid)

#1

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 #1 on our 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 288 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $15,620 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at University of Northern 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 #2 for the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to 170 students in 2019-2020.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State University is $15,496 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State University Elementary Education Report

#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 Getting Aid. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to 114 students 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. It costs about $19,145 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid per year to attend University of Iowa.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at University of Iowa

#4

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa
#14 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Buena Vista University landed the #4 spot on the list. BVU is located in Storm Lake, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 58 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

BVU also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for BVU is $17,544 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Elementary Education at BVU

#5

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Simpson College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Indianola, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s elementary teaching students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid list, Simpson College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simpson College is $19,151 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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

#6

Central College

Pella, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

Central College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Central College 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 with aid list, Central has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central College is $23,269 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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%.

Full Central College Elementary Education Report

#7

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa
#17 in overall quality

Grand View University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Grand View University is a small school located in Des Moines, Iowa that handed out 19 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Grand View University also took the #17 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand View University is $19,826 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

Full Grand View University Elementary Education Report

#8

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa
#3 in overall quality

Northwestern College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for NWC is $22,968 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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%.

Read more about Elementary Education at NWC

#9

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Loras College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid 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.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid list, Loras has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loras College is $20,676 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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

#10

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

Luther College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Decorah, Iowa, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Luther College is $23,620 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Luther College

#11

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa
#9 in overall quality

Wartburg College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Waverly, Iowa, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Wartburg also took the #9 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wartburg is $21,787 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%.

Full Wartburg Elementary Education Report

#12

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#16 in overall quality

Coe College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cedar Rapids, 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 9 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 is $19,955 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Coe

#13

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

Morningside College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Morningside College is a small school located in Sioux City, Iowa that handed out 26 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees 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 yearly cost to attend Morningside College is $21,337 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

Read more about Elementary Education at Morningside College

#22 in overall quality

Graceland University - Lamoni landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Graceland Lamoni is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lamoni, Iowa. It awarded 37 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Graceland Lamoni also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Graceland University - Lamoni is $17,650 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Graceland University - Lamoni

#15

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Dordt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux Center, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Dordt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dordt University is $25,102 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Elementary Education at Dordt

#16

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

Cornell College landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mount Vernon, Iowa. It awarded 10 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell College also made our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $26,901 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Elementary Education at Cornell College

#17

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Briar Cliff University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Sioux City, Iowa, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

Briar Cliff did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $20,604 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid per year to attend Briar Cliff University.

Read more about Elementary Education at Briar Cliff University

#18

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Upper Iowa University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. UIU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayette, Iowa. It awarded 66 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

UIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend UIU is $21,624 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

Read more about Elementary Education at UIU

#19

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Mount Mercy University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. Mount Mercy is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

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 estimated yearly cost for Mount Mercy is $20,857 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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 University

#20

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa
#4 in overall quality

Drake University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drake, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Drake is $29,432 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Elementary Education at Drake University

#21

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa
#15 in overall quality

Saint Ambrose University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Davenport, 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 14 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Ambrose University, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend St. Ambrose University is $26,204 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid.

Read more about Elementary Education at Saint Ambrose University

#22

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, University of Dubuque did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid list, UD has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $26,748 for iowa bachelor’s degree elementary teaching students with aid per year to attend UD.

Read more about Elementary Education at UD

#23

Clarke University

Dubuque, Iowa
#23 in overall quality

Clarke 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 Getting Aid 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Clarke, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Clarke University is $34,204 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Clarke University Elementary Education Report

#24

Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant, Iowa
#24 in overall quality

Iowa Wesleyan University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Elementary Teaching Schools for a Bachelor’s in Iowa For Those Getting Aid ranking. Iowa Wesleyan is located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s elementary teaching degrees to qualified students.

Iowa Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Elementary Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa Wesleyan University is $26,312 for Iowa Bachelor’s Degree Elementary Teaching students with aid.

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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