2026 Best Value Computer Engineering Schools in Iowa
[Computer Engineering](/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for computer engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Computer Engineering Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in computer engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Computer Engineering Schools
Iowa State University tops our 2026 list of the best value computer engineering schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Computer Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,337 in student loans. Early-career computer engineering graduates make about $79,182. Set against $24,337 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 89%.
University Of Iowa came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value computer engineering schools. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Computer Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career computer engineering graduates make about $79,228. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 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.
