Best Iowa Colleges
There are 52 colleges and universities in Iowa enrolling 204,875 students. Explore the list of top colleges in Iowa below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in Iowa offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.
Iowa is home to nationally ranked institutions like Grinnell College, Drake University, University of Iowa and Luther College. The highest ranked college in Iowa is Grinnell College and the top rated public state college is University of Iowa.
Local college options can be explored in Des Moines or other cities.
List of the Best Iowa Colleges
Loras College
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
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| 0 reviews
Loras is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and the humanities. The hilltop campus in Dubuque overlooks the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $21,631
Maharishi International University
- Private 4 Year
- Fairfield, IA
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| 0 reviews
- Jul 30 application deadline
Maharishi International is a private university known for consciousness-based education and undergraduate programs in sustainable living. Students practice Transcendental Meditation as part of campus life in the small town of Fairfield.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $16,281
Marshalltown Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Marshalltown, IA
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| 0 reviews
Marshalltown Community College is a public two-year college offering associate degrees, transfer coursework, and career and technical programs. Most students commute to a small-city campus in central Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,724
Mercy College of Health Sciences
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
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| 0 reviews
Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private health sciences college known for undergraduate nursing and radiologic technology. The urban Des Moines campus is closely tied to the MercyOne hospital system.
- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.12
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $28,313
Morningside University
- Private 4 Year
- Sioux City, IA
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| 0 reviews
Morningside is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Sioux City.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $24,437
Mount Mercy University
- Private 4 Year
- Cedar Rapids, IA
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1.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Mount Mercy is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The compact residential campus sits in a neighborhood setting in Cedar Rapids.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $24,347
North Iowa Area Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Mason City, IA
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| 0 reviews
NIACC is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in nursing, business, and industrial technology. The campus is located in Mason City in north-central Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,852
Northeast Iowa Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Calmar, IA
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| 0 reviews
A public community college known for undergraduate nursing, agriculture, and technical programs. The Calmar campus sits in a small rural town in northeast Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $10,915
Northwest Iowa Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Sheldon, IA
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| 0 reviews
A public community college known for associate-level nursing, agriculture, and industrial technology programs. The small-town campus sits in Sheldon in rural northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $14,691
Palmer College of Chiropractic
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
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| 0 reviews
Palmer is a private chiropractic college known for professional chiropractic training as the profession's founding school. The campus sits near the Mississippi River in downtown Davenport.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
St Luke's College
- Private 2 Year
- Sioux City, IA
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| 0 reviews
St. Luke's is a private college known for undergraduate nursing and allied health programs. The Sioux City campus is affiliated with a regional medical center.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $18,248
Southeastern Community College
- Public 2 Year
- West Burlington, IA
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| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
A public community college known for associate degrees in nursing and industrial technology. The campus is in the small city of West Burlington in southeastern Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,587
Southwestern Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Creston, IA
-
| 0 reviews
A public community college offering associate programs in nursing, agribusiness, and industrial technology. Students study on a small-town campus in Creston in southwestern Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,410
Waldorf University
- Private 4 Year
- Forest City, IA
-
| 0 reviews
- SAT Range 920-1110
- Avg GPA 3.07
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $19,766
Western Iowa Tech Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Sioux City, IA
-
3.7 | 3 reviews
Western Iowa Tech is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, industrial technology, and career training programs. The main campus is in Sioux City in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,061
Ross College Davenport
- Private 2 Year
- Davenport, IA
-
| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $19,626