2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Iowa
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in chemical engineering, no school beat Iowa State University this year. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,787, with out-of-state students paying around $28,881. Students borrow a median of $20,188 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $76,184. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Iowa State University admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of Iowa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, with out-of-state students paying around $33,371. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from University Of Iowa generally make around $75,340. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 3 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.
