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2027 Best Value International Relations Schools in Iowa

[International Relations](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-relations/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for international relations students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value International Relations Schools in Iowa

2027 Best Value International Relations Schools in Iowa

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the international relations degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value International Relations Schools

1

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$11,283 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,030 Avg Student Debt

$64,762 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Iowa earned the #1 spot for value among international relations schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $26,030. Early-career international relations graduates make about $36,376. That is a strong return on a $26,030 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.

2

Drake University
Des Moines, IA

$51,960 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,273 Avg Student Debt

$71,901 Median Earnings (10yr)

Drake University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international relations, landing the #2 spot this year. 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 international relations program here. Early-career international relations graduates make about $56,228. That is a strong return on a $22,273 median debt. Drake University admits about 64% of applicants.

View All International Relations Rankings >

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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.