2026 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Iowa
[Physician Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/physician-assistant/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong physician assistant education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value physician assistant schools.
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2026 Best Value Physician Assistant Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the physician assistant degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Physician Assistant Schools
For return on investment in physician assistant, no school beat University Of Iowa this year. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Physician Assistant graduates carry a median of $28,000 in student loans. Physician Assistant graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $96,948 early in their careers. Set against $28,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Ambrose University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physician assistant, landing the #2 spot this year. Saint Ambrose University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Davenport. In-state tuition and fees average $36,658. Students borrow a median of $27,528 to complete the physician assistant program here. Soon after graduation, physician assistant degree recipients from Saint Ambrose University generally make around $117,805. That is a strong return on a $27,528 median debt. Saint Ambrose University admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Dubuque earned it the #3 place for physician assistant. Set in the city of Dubuque, University Of Dubuque is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $42,095. Students borrow a median of $27,204 to complete the physician assistant program here. Soon after graduation, physician assistant degree recipients from University Of Dubuque generally make around $120,504. That is a strong return on a $27,204 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwestern College Iowa earned it the #4 place for physician assistant. Northwestern College Iowa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Orange City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,710. Students borrow a median of $25,415 to complete the physician assistant program here. Soon after graduation, physician assistant degree recipients from Northwestern College Iowa generally make around $54,845. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
