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2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

24 Ranked Colleges
3,578 Degrees Awarded
$18,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 310,601 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across Iowa, there were 3,578 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,396 and $29,131 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 24 Best Value Colleges for Education (Income $0-$30k) in Iowa

#1

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Northern Iowa is a medium-sized school located in Cedar Falls, Iowa that handed out 708 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UNI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Northern Iowa is $10,757 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at UNI

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ames, Iowa, and it awarded 415 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Iowa State has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Iowa State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Education at Iowa State

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 443 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Iowa is $12,975 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Iowa

#4

Central College

Pella, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Central College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Central College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pella, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Central also took the #7 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central College is $19,172 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Central

#5

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Buena Vista University landed the #5 spot on the list. BVU is located in Storm Lake, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 155 ’s education degrees to qualified students.

BVU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Buena Vista University is $14,210 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Education at BVU

#6

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa

Wartburg College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Waverly, Iowa, and it awarded 45 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Wartburg also made our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $16,334 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wartburg.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Wartburg College

#7

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa

Simpson College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Simpson College is a small school located in Indianola, Iowa that handed out 27 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Simpson College has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $15,357 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simpson College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Simpson College

#8

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Coe College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

Coe also made our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Coe College is $14,590 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Coe

#9

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Northwestern College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern College is a small school located in Orange City, Iowa that handed out 152 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

NWC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern College is $20,581 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at NWC

#10

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa
#12 in overall quality

Cornell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mount Vernon, Iowa. It awarded 25 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cornell College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $20,458 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cornell College Education Report

#11

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa

With a ranking of #11, Loras College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Loras College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dubuque, Iowa. It awarded 50 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Loras has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loras is $16,154 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Loras College Education Report

#12

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Sioux Center, Iowa, and it awarded 155 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Dordt has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $24,967 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Dordt University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Dordt

#13

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa

Grand View University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Grand View University is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 54 ’s education degrees to qualified students.

Grand View University also made our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Grand View University is $18,481 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Education at Grand View University

#14

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

Luther College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Luther is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decorah, Iowa. It awarded 18 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Luther also took the #4 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Luther College is $16,636 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Luther College

Graceland University - Lamoni did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Lamoni, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.

Graceland Lamoni did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Graceland University - Lamoni is $15,015 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Education at Graceland University - Lamoni

#16

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Mount Mercy University is a small school located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that handed out 60 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mount Mercy, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mount Mercy University is $13,992 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Mount Mercy University

#17

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa

With a ranking of #17, Saint Ambrose University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 38 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Ambrose University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for St. Ambrose University is $23,977 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Education at Saint Ambrose University

#18

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa

Morningside College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sioux City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 374 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Morningside, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $19,805 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Morningside.

Read full report on Education at Morningside

#19

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Drake University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Drake is a private not-for-profit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 286 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drake, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $25,212 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Drake University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Education at Drake University

#20

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa

University of Dubuque ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UD, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Dubuque is $19,369 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UD Education Report

#21

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa

Briar Cliff University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 16 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Briar Cliff has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Briar Cliff is $20,372 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Education at Briar Cliff University

#22

Clarke University

Dubuque, Iowa

Clarke University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Clarke University is a small school located in Dubuque, Iowa that handed out 39 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The yearly cost to attend Clarke is $32,534 for iowa education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Clarke University

#23

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Fayette, Iowa, and it awarded 200 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIU, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” ranking. It costs about $21,427 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Upper Iowa University.

Read full report on Education at UIU

#24

Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant, Iowa
#23 in overall quality

Iowa Wesleyan University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Iowa For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

Iowa Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Education Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa Wesleyan is $24,607 for Iowa Education students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Education at Iowa Wesleyan University

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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