2027 Best Value Anthropology Schools in Iowa
[Anthropology](/majors/social-sciences/anthropology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value anthropology schools.
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2027 Best Value Anthropology Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in anthropology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Anthropology Schools
Leading the list is University Of Northern Iowa, our #1 best value for anthropology in Iowa. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,936 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Anthropology graduates carry a median of $22,635 in student loans. Early-career anthropology graduates make about $46,054. Set against $22,635 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Iowa admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Grinnell College one of the best values for anthropology. Set in the town of Grinnell, Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,196. Typical student debt for anthropology graduates is $17,154. Soon after graduation, anthropology degree recipients from Grinnell College generally make around $38,888. That is a strong return on a $17,154 median debt. The acceptance rate is 14%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Iowa earned it the #3 place for anthropology. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Typical student debt for anthropology graduates is $25,696. Soon after graduation, anthropology degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $27,221. That is a strong return on a $25,696 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
More Anthropology 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 · 3 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.
