2023 Best Value Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Finding the Best Public Administration & Social Service School for You
In 2020-2021, 832 degrees and certificates were awarded to public administration and social service students who went to a Iowa college or university. This makes it the #15 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 assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa ranking. This report analyzed 12 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best value programs for public administration and social service 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. 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.
Top 10 Best Public Administration & Social Service Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Des Moines Area Community College the best value school in Iowa for public administration and social service students. Located in the large suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at DMACC are $5,220 per year. Public Administration & Social Service majors at DMACC take out an average of $26,230 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Northern Iowa is a great value for public administration and social service students. Located in the small city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
UNI undergraduate students pay an average of $9,053 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, public administration and social service graduates from UNI take out $24,611 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $147.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, UNI is ranked #5 for overall quality for public administration and social service in Iowa.
Request Information
Out of the 12 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Drake University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Drake are $45,912 per year.
Drake also took the #3 spot in our Best Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa rankings.
Request Information
Out of the 12 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the small city of Iowa City, Iowa is a public school with a fairly large student population.
Iowa undergraduate students pay an average of $9,942 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at Iowa take out is $26,000.
Iowa also claimed a spot on our Best Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Full Public Administration & Social Service at University of Iowa Report
Request Information
Out of the 12 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Ambrose University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the midsize city of Davenport, St. Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at St. Ambrose University are $33,570 a year.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Saint Ambrose University
Request Information
Loras College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the small city of Dubuque, Loras is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
Loras undergraduate students pay an average of $35,268 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, public administration and social service graduates from Loras carry an average student debtload of $27,000.
Full Public Administration & Social Service at Loras College Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #7, Clarke University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for public administration and social service students. Located in the small city of Dubuque, Clarke is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Clarke are $36,870 per year.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Clarke University
Request Information
Upper Iowa University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa list. Located in the rural area of Fayette, UIU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
UIU undergraduate students pay an average of $33,609 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, public administration and social service graduates from UIU take out $36,931 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Upper Iowa University
Request Information
Mount Mercy University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public & Social Service Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the midsize city of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Mount Mercy are $36,540 a year. Public Administration & Social Service majors at Mount Mercy take out an average of $26,234 in student loans while working on their egree.
Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Mount Mercy University
Request Information
Grand View University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value public administration and social service programs. Grand View University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Des Moines.
Grand View University undergraduate students pay an average of $30,954 in in-state tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that public administration and social service majors at Grand View University take out is $27,440.
Full Public Administration & Social Service at Grand View University Report
Request InformationBest Value Public Administration & Social Service Colleges in the Plains States Region
Explore all the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 791 |
| Minnesota | 3,576 |
| South Dakota | 143 |
| Missouri | 1,624 |
| Nebraska | 490 |
| North Dakota | 321 |
More Public Administration & Social Service Rankings in Iowa
Public Administration & Social Service Related Majors for Public Administration & Social Service
Public Administration & Social Service Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Social Work | 58,326 |
| Public Administration | 16,905 |
| Human Services | 13,238 |
| Public Policy | 6,430 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 3,096 |
| Other Public Administration | 588 |
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting | 142,610 |
| Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies | 73,813 |
| Legal Professions | 61,055 |
| Military Technologies & Applied Sciences | 4,477 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 12 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 University of the Fraser Valley.
.jpg){kind=link}
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.