Best ROI Colleges in Iowa
These are the best-value colleges in Iowa, ranked by our data-driven ROI score. The score weights earnings premium (30%), payback period (25%), debt-to-earnings (20%), completion rate (15%), and loan repayment (10%). Every number comes from Department of Education data.
10 schools ranked
| # | School | ROI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | 83 |
| 2 | Drake University Des Moines, IA | 81 |
| 3 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | 79 |
| 4 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | 76 |
| 5 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA | 70 |
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA | 69 |
| 7 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA | 68 |
| 8 | Loras College Dubuque, IA | 62 |
| 9 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | 60 |
| 10 | Luther College Decorah, IA | 60 |
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How We Rank
Rankings are based on our ROI score (0-100), which weights five quantifiable factors: Earnings Premium (30%), Payback Period (25%), Debt-to-Earnings (20%), Completion Rate (15%), and Loan Repayment (10%). All data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. No subjective criteria are used.
Full methodology →