2023 Best Value Liberal Arts & Humanities Schools in Iowa
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, liberal arts / sciences and humanities was ranked 3rd in Iowa. In fact, 5,966 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
The Best Value Liberal Arts & Humanities Schools in Iowa ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 20 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best value programs for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
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. 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.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Eastern Iowa Community College District the best value school in Iowa for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students. Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges are $4,396 per year. After completing their degree, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates from Eastern Iowa Community Colleges carry an average student debtload of $11,000.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Eastern Iowa Community College District Report
Request Information
Our analysis found Northwest Iowa Community College to be the best value school for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students who want to pursue a degree in Iowa. 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. After completing their degree, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates from Northwest Iowa Community College carry an average student debtload of $11,204.
Request Information
The excellent programs at Des Moines Area Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best liberal arts / sciences and humanities schools in Iowa. DMACC is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Ankeny.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at DMACC are $5,220 a year. After completing their degree, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates from DMACC carry an average student debtload of $11,000. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $64, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Indian Hills Community College is a great value for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students. Located in the town of Ottumwa, IHCC is a public school with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at IHCC are $4,560 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts / sciences and humanities majors at IHCC take out is $11,000.
Request Information
The excellent programs at Kirkwood Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best liberal arts / sciences and humanities schools in Iowa. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kirkwood Community College are $5,308 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts / sciences and humanities majors at Kirkwood Community College take out is $12,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $59.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Kirkwood Community College Report
Request Information
Ellsworth Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts & Humanities Schools in Iowa list. Located in the town of Iowa Falls, Ellsworth is a public school with a fairly small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ellsworth are $5,040 per year. The average amount in student loans that liberal arts / sciences and humanities majors at Ellsworth take out is $12,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $70, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Ellsworth Community College Report
Request Information
Marshalltown Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students. It came in at #7 on the list. Marshalltown Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Marshalltown.
Marshalltown Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,040 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates from Marshalltown Community College take out $10,262 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Marshalltown Community College Report
Request Information
Western Iowa Tech Community College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs. Located in the small city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Iowa Tech Community College are $4,802 per year. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities majors at Western Iowa Tech Community College take out an average of $13,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Western Iowa Tech Community College
Request Information
Southeastern Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts & Humanities Schools in Iowa list. Located in the town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Southeastern Community College are $6,090 a year. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities majors at Southeastern Community College take out an average of $9,051 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
Iowa Western Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs. Iowa Western Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Council Bluffs.
Iowa Western Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,330 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, liberal arts / sciences and humanities graduates from Iowa Western Community College carry an average student debtload of $12,000. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $97.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Iowa Western Community College Report
Request InformationBest Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Colleges in the Plains States Region
Explore all the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 6,339 |
| Minnesota | 6,264 |
| South Dakota | 222 |
| Missouri | 8,280 |
| Nebraska | 1,612 |
| North Dakota | 953 |
More Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings in Iowa
Majors Related to Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts General Studies | 556,813 |
Majors Similar to Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Visual & Performing Arts | 149,215 |
| English Language & Literature | 54,635 |
| Foreign Languages & Linguistics | 33,333 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations | 27,459 |
| Philosophy & Religious Studies | 19,993 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 20 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 Jacques Sablet (Switzerland, Morges, 1749-1803).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.