2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree School for You
Liberal Arts General Studies is the most popular major in Iowa with 5,966 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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 Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. This report analyzed 15 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for liberal arts students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Northwest Iowa Community College the best value school in Iowa for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Sheldon.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Northwest Iowa Community College are $6,540 a year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Northwest Iowa Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,875.
Northwest Iowa Community College also made our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list, coming in at #2.
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Our analysis found Eastern Iowa Community College District to be the best value school for liberal arts general studies students who want to pursue a associate degree in Iowa. Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges undergraduate students pay an average of $4,396 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges accumulate an average of around $14,102 in student debt.
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Out of the 15 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Des Moines Area Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. DMACC is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at DMACC are $5,220 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at DMACC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,279. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $64.
DMACC also made our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list, coming in at #4.
Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Des Moines Area Community College Report
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Indian Hills Community College is a great value for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Located in the remote town of Ottumwa, IHCC is a public college with a small student population.
IHCC undergraduate students pay an average of $4,560 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at IHCC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,181.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kirkwood Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Kirkwood Community College are $5,308 a year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Kirkwood Community College carry an average student debtload of $15,374. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $59, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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With a ranking of #6, Ellsworth Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. Located in the distant town of Iowa Falls, Ellsworth is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Ellsworth are $5,040 a year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Ellsworth take out while working on their Associate Degree is $12,863. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $70.
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Marshalltown Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Marshalltown Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Marshalltown.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Marshalltown Community College are $5,040 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Marshalltown Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $12,400.
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Western Iowa Tech Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Western Iowa Tech Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,802 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Western Iowa Tech Community College carry an average student debtload of $14,579.
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Southeastern Community College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the remote town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southeastern Community College are $6,090 per year. Liberal Arts majors at Southeastern Community College take out an average of $11,070 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Southeastern Community College also took the #5 spot in our Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa rankings.
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Iowa Western Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Iowa Western Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Council Bluffs.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Iowa Western Community College are $6,330 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Iowa Western Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $15,727. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $97, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Request InformationBest Value Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges in the Plains States Region
Explore all the Best Value Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Missouri | 8,280 |
| Minnesota | 6,264 |
| Kansas | 6,339 |
| Nebraska | 1,612 |
| North Dakota | 953 |
| South Dakota | 222 |
More Liberal Arts General Studies Rankings in Iowa
Liberal Arts General Studies Related Majors for Liberal Arts
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 15 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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