by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
After analyzing 40 schools in Iowa, we came up with our list of those that offered the best value programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
To determine the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking, we first add average tuition, fees, and room and board costs (without aid) together. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Iowa State University to be the best value (no aid) school in Iowa in this year’s ranking. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Iowa State University a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $18,722 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $20,492 per year for graduate students.
The quality degree programs at University of Northern Iowa helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Not only is University of Northern Iowa a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $18,213 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,729 per year for graduate students.
Out of the 40 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a large public school located in Iowa City, Iowa.
University of Iowa has the honor of being ranked #2 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $21,722 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $23,845 a year.
The quality degree programs at Des Moines Area Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa. This large public school is located in Ankeny, Iowa.
Not only is Des Moines Area Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #11 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,722 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,502 a year.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list means Iowa Central Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Iowa Central Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Iowa Central Community College has the honor of being ranked #23 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,130 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $7,130 per year for graduate students.
Iowa Western Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. Iowa Western Community College is a public institution located in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Iowa Western Community College is ranked #21 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $15,080 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $8,750 per year for graduate students.
Western Iowa Tech Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Western Iowa Tech Community College is located in Sioux City, Iowa and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Western Iowa Tech Community College has the honor of being ranked #29 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $11,092 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $6,290 a year.
Kirkwood Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Not only is Kirkwood Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #27 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $11,923 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $6,615 per year for graduate students.
Indian Hills Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. Located in Ottumwa, Iowa, the school is a small public institution.
Indian Hills Community College has the honor of being ranked #34 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $9,510 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $4,950 per year for graduate students.
With a ranking of #10, Northwest Iowa Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Northwest Iowa Community College is located in Sheldon, Iowa and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Northwest Iowa Community College is ranked #30 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,958 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $6,418 a year.
Northeast Iowa Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. NICC is a small public school situated in Calmar, Iowa.
Not only is Northeast Iowa Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #28 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,120 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $8,000 per year for graduate students.
Morningside College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Morningside College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Sioux City, Iowa.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Morningside College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $45,680 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,926 per year for graduate students.
Eastern Iowa Community College District did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking, coming in at #13. Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a medium-sized public school situated in Davenport, Iowa.
Eastern Iowa Community College District has the honor of being ranked #36 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $10,894 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $6,498 per year for graduate students.
Read full value report on Eastern Iowa Community College District
With a ranking of #14, Marshalltown Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Marshalltown Community College is a small public school situated in Marshalltown, Iowa.
Not only is Marshalltown Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #33 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $12,820 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,780 a year.
Hawkeye Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Hawkeye Community College is a public institution located in Waterloo, Iowa.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Hawkeye Community College is ranked #32 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,919 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $8,942 per year for graduate students.
Southwestern Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. Southwestern Community College is a small public school located in Creston, Iowa.
Not only is Southwestern Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #37 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,520 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $8,460 a year.
Waldorf University landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. Waldorf is a small private for-profit school situated in Forest City, Iowa.
Waldorf University has the honor of being ranked #20 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $31,728 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,897 per year for graduate students.
Southeastern Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. West Burlington, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Southeastern Community College is ranked #38 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $15,300 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $9,210 per year for graduate students.
North Iowa Area Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking, coming in at #19. Mason City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, North Iowa Area Community College is ranked #39 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,313 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,342 a year.
Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking, coming in at #20. Graceland University - Lamoni is a small private not-for-profit school located in Lamoni, Iowa.
Not only is Graceland University - Lamoni a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $41,730 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $20,997 a year.
Northwestern College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Orange City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Northwestern College has the honor of being ranked #15 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $43,590 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,360 per year for graduate students.
Maharishi International University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Fairfield, Iowa.
Maharishi International University has the honor of being ranked #6 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,930 a year for undergraduates. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $39,930 a year.
Iowa Lakes Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa list. Iowa Lakes Community College is a small public school located in Estherville, Iowa.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Iowa Lakes Community College is ranked #40 for quality in the state of Iowa. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,544 a year. The average cost to attend the school for graduate students if you don’t receive any aid is $7,700 a year.
Saint Ambrose University landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. Located in Davenport, Iowa, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Saint Ambrose University a great value, but it is also ranked #9 in Iowa for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $45,208 a year. The average cost without aid for the school is $30,278 per year for graduate students.
Drake University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money in Iowa ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Des Moines, Iowa.
Drake University has the honor of being ranked #5 in Iowa for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $57,200 a year for undergraduates. The average cost without aid for the school is $23,276 per year for graduate students.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.