2027 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Iowa
[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science & government education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for political science & government students.
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2027 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political science & government degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Science & Government Schools
Grinnell College tops our 2027 list of the best value political science & government schools in Iowa. Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Grinnell. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,196. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $36,662. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Northern Iowa one of the best values for political science & government. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $27,000. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $37,875. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Iowa State University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,881 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $30,715. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Simpson College one of the best values for political science & government. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Indianola. In-state tuition and fees average $47,656. Students borrow a median of $26,816 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $48,888. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Iowa one of the best values for political science & government. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,283 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $39,133. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Iowa admits about 84% of applicants.
Drake University came in at #6 for value in political science & government this year. Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Des Moines. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $21,138. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Drake University generally make around $56,228. Set against $21,138 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
