Colleges in Iowa
31 colleges in Iowa that award bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates: 3 public and 28 private. Among colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, the lowest average net price is at Maharishi International University ($14,956 a year after grants). Numbers are averages for students receiving federal aid; open a school to see what a family at your income pays.
| College | City | Type | Undergrads | Acceptance | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen College | Waterloo | Private | 261 | — | — | — | $71,261 |
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City | Private | 624 | — | $23,907 | 48% | $54,475 |
| Buena Vista University | Storm Lake | Private | 1,366 | 78% | $18,846 | 62% | $49,156 |
| Central College | Pella | Private | 1,070 | 86% | $23,377 | 66% | $54,317 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque | Private | 742 | 72% | $24,479 | 56% | $55,396 |
| Coe College | Cedar Rapids | Private | 1,164 | 64% | $18,745 | 66% | $57,125 |
| Cornell College | Mount Vernon | Private | 1,086 | 80% | $23,634 | 62% | $53,460 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center | Private | 1,597 | 68% | $25,807 | 70% | $52,559 |
| Drake University | Des Moines | Private | 2,543 | 64% | $29,127 | 74% | $71,901 |
| Emmaus Bible College | Dubuque | PrivateBachelor's & associate · 36% bachelor's | 224 | 60% | $13,186 | 83% | $42,631 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | Ankeny | Private | 405 | 68% | $16,282 | 68% | $40,650 |
| Graceland University-Lamoni | Lamoni | Private | 798 | 81% | $18,504 | 42% | $47,361 |
| Grand View University | Des Moines | Private | 1,486 | 99% | $21,774 | 54% | $52,824 |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell | Private | 1,729 | 15% | $17,648 | 88% | $62,830 |
| Iowa State University | Ames | Public | 25,367 | 89% | $18,589 | 75% | $63,386 |
| Loras College | Dubuque | Private | 1,083 | 100% | $20,716 | 68% | $58,289 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private | 1,379 | 72% | $23,097 | 71% | $59,850 |
| Maharishi International University | Fairfield | Private | 922 | 96% | $14,956 | 50% | $27,981 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | Des Moines | Private | 867 | 100% | $26,924 | 66% | $62,234 |
| Morningside University | Sioux City | Private | 1,163 | 71% | $31,320 | 50% | $55,494 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids | Private | 1,107 | 83% | $20,168 | 58% | $60,787 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City | Private | 1,175 | 80% | $25,907 | 66% | $49,802 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | Private | 1,916 | 77% | $24,691 | 61% | $59,531 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private | 1,227 | 86% | $21,936 | 63% | $59,274 |
| St Luke's College | Sioux City | PrivateBachelor's & associate · 30% bachelor's | 167 | 80% | $19,820 | 100% | $61,033 |
| University of Dubuque | Dubuque | Private | 1,440 | 89% | $23,386 | 40% | $51,190 |
| University of Iowa | Iowa City | Public | 22,264 | 84% | $22,531 | 75% | $64,762 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls | Public | 7,529 | 93% | $15,901 | 68% | $55,177 |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette | Private | 1,994 | 96% | $20,942 | 34% | $52,766 |
| Wartburg College | Waverly | Private | 1,452 | 76% | $32,908 | 64% | $56,201 |
| William Penn University | Oskaloosa | Private | 1,301 | 52% | $22,601 | 33% | $48,936 |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, latest reported year. Graduation within 6 years; earnings are the median 10 years after starting college.
Best value in Iowa for your income
The Iowa colleges that pay back fastest for a family at your income: what it costs to finish after grants, set against how much more former students earn than high school graduates in Iowa. Pick your income.
| # | College | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Earnings, 10 yrs | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell CollegePrivate | $9,669 | $40,320 | $62,830 | 1.5 |
| 2 | Iowa State UniversityPublic, in-state price | $15,463 | $66,800 | $63,386 | 2.5 |
| 3 | Coe CollegePrivate | $14,475 | $60,216 | $57,125 | 2.9 |
| 4 | Mount Mercy UniversityPrivate | $16,883 | $68,883 | $60,787 | 2.9 |
| 5 | Drake UniversityPrivate | $25,171 | $103,705 | $71,901 | 2.9 |
| 6 | University of IowaPublic, in-state price | $19,930 | $84,503 | $64,762 | 3.0 |
| 7 | Loras CollegePrivate | $15,624 | $67,652 | $58,289 | 3.1 |
| 8 | University of Northern IowaPublic, in-state price | $14,099 | $62,036 | $55,177 | 3.4 |
| 9 | Luther CollegePrivate | $19,351 | $80,887 | $59,850 | 3.5 |
| 10 | Simpson CollegePrivate | $19,176 | $80,923 | $59,274 | 3.6 |
Colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, ranked by years of earnings gain needed to repay the cost to finish at this income. Cost to finish = net price after grants × the average years graduates took (IPEDS). Earnings gain = former students' median earnings 10 years after starting (College Scorecard) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in Iowa (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
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