2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in Iowa
[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general economics education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general economics schools.
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2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Economics Schools
Iowa State University tops our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. General Economics graduates carry a median of $23,414 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $57,619. That is a strong return on a $23,414 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general economics, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. General Economics graduates carry a median of $22,407 in student loans. Early-career general economics graduates make about $50,223. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Luther College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general economics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Decorah, Luther College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,120. General Economics graduates carry a median of $26,967 in student loans. Early-career general economics graduates make about $42,426. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
A rank of #4 makes Drake University one of the best values for general economics. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $51,960. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete the general economics program here. Early-career general economics graduates make about $56,228. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. 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. 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.
