2027 Best Value Legal Professions Schools in Iowa

[Legal Professions](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value legal professions schools.
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2027 Best Value Legal Professions Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal professions degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Legal Professions Schools
Kirkwood Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value legal professions schools in Iowa. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. Students from in state pay about $6,176 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,220. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $25,083 in student loans. Legal Professions graduates of Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $41,681 early in their careers. Set against $25,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Des Moines Area Community College one of the best values for legal professions. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,790, with out-of-state students paying around $6,690. Students borrow a median of $12,250 to complete the legal professions program here. Soon after graduation, legal professions degree recipients from Des Moines Area Community College generally make around $49,137. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for legal professions. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Students borrow a median of $24,463 to complete the legal professions program here. Early-career legal professions graduates make about $78,560. That is a strong return on a $24,463 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Students looking for strong value in legal professions will find it at Drake University, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,960. Legal Professions graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Legal Professions graduates of Drake University earn a median of $63,339 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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.