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Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa

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2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

8 Colleges
$28,194 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$74,729 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Computer Science School for You

In 2020-2021, 755 degrees and certificates were awarded to computer science students who went to a Iowa college or university. This makes it the #11 most popular major in the state.

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa ranking. Our analysis looked at 8 schools in Iowa to see which programs offered the best value experiences for compsci students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for compsci majors pursuing a .

Best Iowa Schools for Affordable Quality in Computer Science

#1

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA
$9,942 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named University of Iowa the best value school in Iowa for computer science students. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Iowa undergraduate students pay an average of $9,942 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Iowa also is in the top 20% of our Best Computer Science Schools in Iowa ranking.

Full Computer Science at University of Iowa Report

$9,634 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Iowa State University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best computer science schools in Iowa. Iowa State is a very large public school located in the city of Ames.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Iowa State are $9,634 per year. The average amount in student loans that compsci majors at Iowa State take out is $25,675. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $236.

Iowa State not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #4 on our Best Computer Science Schools in Iowa list.

Full Computer Science at Iowa State University Report

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA
$9,053 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa list. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

UNI undergraduate students pay an average of $9,053 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, compsci graduates from UNI take out $26,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

UNI not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #5 on our Best Computer Science Schools in Iowa list.

Full Computer Science at University of Northern Iowa Report

$16,530 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Maharishi International University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools in Iowa list. Located in the remote town of Fairfield, MIU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MIU are $16,530 per year.

Read More…

#5

Simpson College

Indianola, IA
$44,030 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 8 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Simpson College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the fringe town of Indianola, Simpson College is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Simpson College undergraduate students pay an average of $44,030 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, compsci majors at Simpson College accumulate an average of around $26,000 in student debt.

In addition to its great value ranking, Simpson College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Computer Science Schools in Iowa list.

Read More…

#6

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA
$58,648 Average Tuition & Fees

Grinnell College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value computer science programs. Grinnell is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Grinnell.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Grinnell are $58,648 a year. The average amount in student loans that compsci majors at Grinnell take out is $15,500.

Grinnell did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Computer Science Schools in Iowa list.

Read More…

#7

Luther College

Decorah, IA
$46,760 Average Tuition & Fees

Luther College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value computer science programs. Luther is a small private not-for-profit school located in the remote town of Decorah.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Luther are $46,760 per year. The average amount in student loans that compsci majors at Luther take out is $27,000.

Full Computer Science at Luther College Report

#8

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA
$30,954 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #8, Grand View University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for computer science students. Grand View University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Des Moines.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Grand View University are $30,954 per year.

Full Computer Science at Grand View University Report

Best Value Computer Science Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Value Computer Science Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Missouri 1,360
Minnesota 1,411
Kansas 229
Nebraska 122
North Dakota 113
South Dakota 38

One of 10 majors within the area of study, computer science has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Computer Information Systems 88,434
Information Technology 40,555
Information Science 18,325
Computer Systems Networking 14,700
Computer Software & Applications 14,336

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 8 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Negative Space.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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