Get matched with vetted scholarships and enter our
Please select whichever best describes you for the upcoming 2024 - 2025 academic year.
I’m a high school student I’m a college or graduate student
100% Free. No Spam.
    Start typing in the text field above
    Log in Get Started
    Colleges Top Colleges in Iowa
    Advertiser disclosure

    Student-centric advice and objective recommendations

    Higher education has never been more confusing or expensive. Our goal is to help you navigate the very big decisions related to higher ed with objective information and expert advice. Each piece of content on the site is original, based on extensive research, and reviewed by multiple editors, including a subject matter expert. This ensures that all of our content is up-to-date, useful, accurate, and thorough.

    Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here.

    Top Colleges in Iowa

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman Written by Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman
    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman

    Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.

    Full Bio

    Learn about our editorial policies
    Updated: June 6th, 2024

    With public options like University of Iowa and smaller liberal arts schools like Grinnell College, Iowa is a great state to receive a college education. Check out our list below for some great Iowa colleges to consider.

    Read More
    Get Started

    Join for exclusive scholarships, personalized matching, and application tracking. 0% Spam, 100% Free.

    Need help paying for school?

    Iowa state flag

    Top college scholarships for
    Iowa Students

    $30,000 in scholarships available
    Scholarships360 is recommended by
    17 colleges
    Sort by
    I

    Iowa State University

    Ames, IA • Public, City

    Top College Top Affordability
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Iowa State University is a public 4-year college located in Ames, Iowa. There are currently 24,994 undergraduates at Iowa State and the school’s acceptance rate is 90%. The tuition at…

    Iowa State University is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    90% acceptance
    74% graduation rate
    24,994 undergrads
    $15,494 net price
     Get Started

    Join for exclusive scholarships, personalized matching, and application tracking. 0% Spam, 100% Free.
    G

    Grinnell College

    Grinnell, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town, Need-Blind

    Top College Top College
    Top College Top College

    Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, is known for its open curriculum, which allows students to design their own course of study with guidance from faculty advisors. Grinnell also offers…Read More

    Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, is known for its…Read More

    11% acceptance
    88% graduation rate
    1,709 undergrads
    $17,772 net price
    I

    University of Iowa

    Iowa City, IA • Public, City

    University of Iowa is a public 4-year college located in Iowa City, Iowa. There are currently 21,545 undergraduates at Iowa and the school’s acceptance rate is 86%. The tuition at…

    University of Iowa is a public 4-year college located in…Read More

    86% acceptance
    74% graduation rate
    21,545 undergrads
    $20,426 net price
    D

    Drake University

    Des Moines, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Drake University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Des Moines, Iowa. There are currently 2,794 undergraduates at Drake and the school’s acceptance rate is 67%. The tuition at…

    Drake University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    67% acceptance
    76% graduation rate
    2,794 undergrads
    $30,176 net price
    N

    University of Northern Iowa

    Cedar Falls, IA • Public, City

    Top College Top Affordability
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    University of Northern Iowa is a public 4-year college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. There are currently 7,571 undergraduates at UNI and the school’s acceptance rate is 95%. The tuition…

    University of Northern Iowa is a public 4-year college located…Read More

    95% acceptance
    64% graduation rate
    7,571 undergrads
    $14,414 net price
    E

    Emmaus Bible College

    Dubuque, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Top College Top Affordability
    Top College: Affordability Top College: Affordability

    Emmaus Bible College, located in Dubuque, Iowa, is a private Christian college known for its commitment to biblical education and theological studies. The college offers a rigorous academic program rooted…Read More

    Emmaus Bible College, located in Dubuque, Iowa, is a private…Read More

    100% acceptance
    82% graduation rate
    188 undergrads
    $12,899 net price
    W

    Wartburg College

    Waverly, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Wartburg College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Waverly, Iowa. There are currently 1,402 undergraduates at Wartburg and the school’s acceptance rate is 97%. The tuition at Wartburg…

    Wartburg College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    97% acceptance
    67% graduation rate
    1,402 undergrads
    $22,869 net price
    L

    Luther College

    Decorah, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Luther College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Decorah, Iowa. There are currently 1,603 undergraduates at Luther and the school’s acceptance rate is 75%. The tuition at Luther…

    Luther College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    75% acceptance
    74% graduation rate
    1,603 undergrads
    $26,138 net price
    S

    Simpson College

    Indianola, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Simpson College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Indianola, Iowa. There are currently 1,115 undergraduates at Simpson and the school’s acceptance rate is 89%. The tuition at Simpson…

    Simpson College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    89% acceptance
    67% graduation rate
    1,115 undergrads
    $22,925 net price
    C

    Coe College

    Cedar Rapids, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Coe College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. There are currently 1,224 undergraduates at Coe. The tuition at Coe is $50,664.

    Coe College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    --% acceptance
    65% graduation rate
    1,224 undergrads
    $18,673 net price
    C

    Central College

    Pella, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Central College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Pella, Iowa. There are currently 1,135 undergraduates at Central College and the school’s acceptance rate is 79%. The tuition at…

    Central College is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    79% acceptance
    71% graduation rate
    1,135 undergrads
    $22,578 net price
    B

    Buena Vista University

    Storm Lake, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Buena Vista University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Storm Lake, Iowa. There are currently 1,419 undergraduates at Buena Vista and the school’s acceptance rate is 77%. The…

    Buena Vista University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    77% acceptance
    58% graduation rate
    1,419 undergrads
    $18,475 net price
    S

    Saint Ambrose University

    Davenport, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Saint Ambrose University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Davenport, Iowa. There are currently 2,108 undergraduates at St. Ambrose and the school’s acceptance rate is 74%. The tuition…

    Saint Ambrose University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    74% acceptance
    64% graduation rate
    2,108 undergrads
    $23,799 net price
    C

    Cornell College

    Mount Vernon, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Town

    Not to be confused with Cornell University, Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, offers a distinctive One Course At A Time schedule, allowing students to immerse themselves in a single…Read More

    Not to be confused with Cornell University, Cornell College in…Read More

    79% acceptance
    63% graduation rate
    1,056 undergrads
    $24,164 net price
    C

    Clarke University

    Dubuque, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    Clarke University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Dubuque, Iowa. There are currently 724 undergraduates at Clarke and the school’s acceptance rate is 85%. The tuition at Clarke…

    Clarke University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in…Read More

    85% acceptance
    58% graduation rate
    724 undergrads
    $27,275 net price
    U

    Upper Iowa University

    Fayette, IA • Private, Non-Profit, Rural

    Upper Iowa University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Fayette, Iowa. There are currently 2,203 undergraduates at Upper Iowa and the school’s acceptance rate is 54%. The tuition…

    Upper Iowa University is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    54% acceptance
    42% graduation rate
    2,203 undergrads
    $25,219 net price
    D

    University of Dubuque

    Dubuque, IA • Private, Non-Profit, City

    University of Dubuque is a private, non-profit 4-year college located in Dubuque, Iowa. There are currently 1,439 undergraduates at Dubuque and the school’s acceptance rate is 85%. The tuition at…

    University of Dubuque is a private, non-profit 4-year college located…Read More

    85% acceptance
    39% graduation rate
    1,439 undergrads
    $21,560 net price
    About the Data

    We sort colleges on our lists according to their Scholarships360 Top Colleges Index Score. This score is calculated using up-to-date information taken directly from the College Scorecard. Additional information is sourced from the colleges themselves, as well as other publicly available information. If you see an error, feel free to contact us.

    State grants in Iowa

    Iowa Tuition Grant

    The Iowa Tuition Grant is a need-based grant eligible to all Iowa residents who meet a certain Student Aid Index (SAI) number on their FAFSA and plan on attending a private school in Iowa. Certain factors may affect the amount of funding you receive, for example those attending not-for-profit schools will receive more than those attending for-profit schools. For those who are full time students, they can receive this grant for up to two years. 

    GEAR UP Iowa Scholarship

    The GEAR UP Iowa Scholarship is eligible to students who join the GEAR UP Iowa cohort. Most students join the cohort in middle school. If you are an Iowa resident a part of GEAR UP, all you have to do to apply is fill out the FAFSA like normal. If you joined the GEAR UP cohort when you were younger, but have since moved to another state, you may still be eligible, but you’ll have to fill out a separate application.

    Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant

    The Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant is for Iowa residents attending community colleges. It is a need based grant that can be used for up to two years of education. The maximum award may vary each year depending on available funding. 

    Iowa tuition reciprocity agreements 

    Iowa is a part of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC). This organization comes from legislation that made it so 12 midwestern states can work together to provide tuition discounts. Most of these discounts come in the form of providing out-of-state students the opportunity to pay in-state tuition. 

    Here are the states in the MHEC:

    Other college lists to explore

    Frequently asked questions about colleges in Iowa

    What is the hardest college in Iowa to get into?

    The college in Iowa with the lowest acceptance rate is Grinnell College with only 11% of students being accepted. Though applying to a school that has a lower acceptance rate may be discouraging, it shouldn’t stop you from applying. Remember that so much more goes into college admissions than numbers and scores.

    Does Iowa have Tuition reciprocity?

     Yes! Iowa is a part of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC). This means that by going to school in one of the 12 partner states in the MHEC, you may be eligible to receive tuition discounts.

    Why should I study in Iowa?

     Iowa has been ranked the third best education system in the U.S. according to college entrance exam scores, and this quality of education only continues through its wide range of higher education institutions. Iowa also has a generally low cost of living when compared to other U.S. states. The landscape of Iowa is a classic image of what you might think of when someone says midwest, with its rolling plains and extensive fields. And if you like cute animals, you’ll be happy to know that hogs actually outnumber people in Iowa.

    Get Started

    Join for exclusive scholarships, personalized matching, and application tracking. 0% Spam, 100% Free.

    3 reasons to join scholarships360

    • Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
    • Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
    • Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

    By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

    Join For Free