2027 Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools in Iowa

[Industrial Engineering](/majors/engineering/ie-industrial-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for industrial engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Iowa State University the best value for a degree in industrial engineering in Iowa. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. In-state tuition and fees average $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Typical student debt for industrial engineering graduates is $23,750. Industrial Engineering graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $94,216 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for industrial engineering. 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. Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,540 in student loans. Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $75,699 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
More Industrial Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 2 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.