2027 Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools in Iowa
[Mental & Social Health Services](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for mental & social health services students.
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2027 Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mental & social health services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools
University Of Northern Iowa earned the #1 spot for value among mental & social health services schools in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, compared with $21,712 for out-of-state students. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $22,635 in student loans. Mental & Social Health Services graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $47,858 early in their careers. Set against $22,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
Mount Mercy University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mental & social health services, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy University is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $40,878. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $27,709 in student loans. Early-career mental & social health services graduates make about $45,912. That is a strong return on a $27,709 median debt. Mount Mercy University admits about 82% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in mental & social health services will find it at Grand View University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Des Moines, Grand View University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,762. Typical student debt for mental & social health services graduates is $26,941. Mental & Social Health Services graduates of Grand View University earn a median of $45,180 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,941 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
University Of Iowa came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value mental & social health services schools. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $24,463 in student loans. Early-career mental & social health services graduates make about $57,375. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
More Mental & Social Health Services 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
