2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in Iowa
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value criminology schools.
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2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in criminology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Criminology Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Northern Iowa the best value for a degree in criminology in Iowa. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $24,683. Criminology graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $43,914 early in their careers. Set against $24,683 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Upper Iowa University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Fayette, Upper Iowa University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $19,475. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $43,447. Criminology graduates of Upper Iowa University earn a median of $43,170 early in their careers. Set against $43,447 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. 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, compared with $33,371 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $38,520. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at William Penn University earned it the #4 place for criminology. Located in the town of Oskaloosa, William Penn University is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $29,750. Typical student debt for criminology graduates is $28,341. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from William Penn University generally make around $39,727. Set against $28,341 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. William Penn University admits about 52% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 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.
