This page compares the best colleges in Iowa with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Grinnell College rank first in the best Iowa college ranking and Drake University is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in Iowa
3 public and 7 private schools rank in the best Iowa colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 70.50% where Grinnell College has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 19% and Iowa State University has the highest rate of 88%. Total 85,060 students are attending one of the best Iowa schools where Iowa State University has the largest population with 31,822 students and Central College has the smallest number of students (1,120 students). The average graduation rate is 72.20% and the average students to faculty ratio is 12.70:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | 19% | 1,446 | 87% | 1,493 | 9:1 (11.11 %) |
| 2 | Drake University Des Moines, IA | 68% | 1,225 | 78% | 4,774 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 3 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | 88% | 1,160 | 75% | 31,822 | 19:1 (5.26 %) |
| 4 | Luther College Decorah, IA | 64% | 1,155 | 77% | 1,802 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 5 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | 84% | 1,210 | 72% | 30,318 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| 6 | Simpson College Indianola, IA | 87% | 1,135 | 71% | 1,267 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA | 79% | 1,130 | 64% | 9,507 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 8 | Central College Pella, IA | 64% | 1,083 | 68% | 1,120 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 9 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | 80% | 1,189 | 62% | 1,394 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 10 | Wartburg College Waverly, IA | 72% | 1,085 | 68% | 1,563 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| Average | 70.50% | 1,182 | 72.20% | 85,060 (Total) | 12.70:1 (7.87 %) |
Best Iowa Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best Iowa colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best Iowa colleges is $38,803 where Grinnell College has the most expensive costs at $58,648 and Central College has the lowest amount of tuition at $19,250. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best Iowa colleges is $20,034 where University of Iowa has the highest tuition with $31,012 and Simpson College has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $6,606.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Grinnell College | $58,648 | $60,684 | ||
| 2 | Drake University | $45,912 | $47,501 | ||
| 3 | Iowa State University | $9,634 | $25,446 | $9,963 | $26,424 |
| 4 | Luther College | $46,760 | $47,939 | ||
| 5 | University of Iowa | $9,942 | $31,905 | $10,290 | $32,245 |
| 6 | Simpson College | $44,030 | $45,889 | ||
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa | $9,053 | $19,753 | $9,169 | $18,386 |
| 8 | Central College | $19,250 | $19,923 | ||
| 9 | Coe College | $48,822 | $50,478 | ||
| 10 | Wartburg College | $47,500 | $49,393 | ||
| Average | $9,543 | $38,803 | $9,807 | $39,886 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Grinnell College | - | - | ||
| 2 | Drake University | $11,988 | $12,044 | ||
| 3 | Iowa State University | $11,404 | $26,948 | $11,404 | $11,838 |
| 4 | Luther College | - | - | ||
| 5 | University of Iowa | $12,065 | $31,012 | $12,065 | $12,478 |
| 6 | Simpson College | $6,606 | $4,921 | ||
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa | $10,569 | $21,201 | $10,569 | $10,708 |
| 8 | Central College | - | - | ||
| 9 | Coe College | - | - | ||
| 10 | Wartburg College | $22,450 | $20,421 | ||
| Average | $11,346 | $20,034 | $11,674 | $20,008 | |