2027 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Iowa
[Human Development & Family Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for human development & family studies students.
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2027 Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the human development & family studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Human Development & Family Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Western Iowa Tech Community College the best value for a degree in human development & family studies in Iowa. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Sioux City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,186, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $8,837 in student loans. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $35,742. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Hawkeye Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,525 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,612. Students borrow a median of $17,001 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Hawkeye Community College earn a median of $41,902 early in their careers. Set against $17,001 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in human development & family studies will find it at Southwestern Community College Creston, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Creston, Southwestern Community College Creston is a small public university. Students from in state pay about $8,064 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,316. Students borrow a median of $15,881 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Southwestern Community College Creston earn a median of $46,106 early in their careers. Set against $15,881 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Des Moines Area Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in human development & family studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny. Students from in state pay about $5,790 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,690. Students borrow a median of $11,500 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $22,623 early in their careers. Set against $11,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar one of the best values for human development & family studies. Located in the rural area of Calmar, Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $6,780 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,770 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $14,348. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar generally make around $39,833. Set against $14,348 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Eastern Iowa Community College District landed the #6 spot for human development & family studies value this year. Located in the city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community College District is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,848, while out-of-state students pay about $6,456. Students borrow a median of $15,995 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Eastern Iowa Community College District generally make around $41,510. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Iowa Western Community College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Located in the suburb of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,930, with out-of-state students paying around $7,080. Typical student debt for human development & family studies graduates is $15,153. Early-career human development & family studies graduates make about $43,444. Set against $15,153 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Northern Iowa earned the #8 position for value in human development & family studies this year. University Of Northern Iowa is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Falls. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the human development & family studies program here. Human Development & Family Studies graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $32,614 early in their careers. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Iowa State University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value human development & family studies schools. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Human Development & Family Studies graduates carry a median of $24,958 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human development & family studies degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $36,364. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
More Human Development & Family Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
