Iowa Private Colleges
There are 30 private colleges and universities in Iowa enrolling 45,511 students. Explore the list below to find the private college match for you. Private colleges are usually smaller in size, more expensive than public schools and often academically rigorous. If you feel you may have difficulty fitting into the large class sizes which are common on many public campuses, take a look at Iowa private colleges. Iowa is home to popular private schools like Drake University, Grinnell College and Cornell College.
Drake University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
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5.0 | 2 reviews
Drake is a private university known for undergraduate journalism, pharmacy, and business. The campus sits in a residential neighborhood near downtown Des Moines.
- SAT Range 1110-1350
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $29,565
Grinnell College
- Private 4 Year
- Grinnell, IA
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Grinnell is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for an open curriculum and undergraduate work in the sciences and social sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small town of Grinnell.
- SAT Range 1410-1540
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 15%
- Net Price $34,363
Cornell College
- Private 4 Year
- Mount Vernon, IA
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| 0 reviews
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college known for its One Course At A Time calendar of intensive undergraduate courses. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Mount Vernon.
- SAT Range 1120-1285
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $25,220
Northwestern College
- Private 4 Year
- Orange City, IA
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4.0 | 2 reviews
Northwestern College is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and nursing. The campus sits in the small town of Orange City in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 940-1240
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $26,347
Coe College
- Private 4 Year
- Cedar Rapids, IA
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| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Coe is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate writing, biology, and business. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Cedar Rapids.
- SAT Range 1070-1290
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $20,864
University of Dubuque
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
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| 0 reviews
University of Dubuque is a private Presbyterian university known for undergraduate aviation and nursing. Most students live on the residential campus near the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $26,067
Wartburg College
- Private 4 Year
- Waverly, IA
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| 0 reviews
Wartburg is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, education, and biology. Most students live on the residential campus in the small Iowa town of Waverly, with long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $24,031
Luther College
- Private 4 Year
- Decorah, IA
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| 0 reviews
Luther is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and the sciences. The residential campus sits among the bluffs of Decorah in northeast Iowa.
- SAT Range 1078-1406
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $24,511
Saint Ambrose University
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
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| 0 reviews
Saint Ambrose is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus sits in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 930-1170
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $25,345
Grand View University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Grand View is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The urban campus sits in Des Moines, Iowa's capital city.
- SAT Range 920-1080
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $22,319
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
Upper Iowa University
- Private 4 Year
- Fayette, IA
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| 0 reviews
Upper Iowa is a private university known for undergraduate business, education, and human services. The residential campus sits in the small town of Fayette in northeast Iowa.
- SAT Range 970-1160
- Avg GPA 3.34
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $20,426
Central College
- Private 4 Year
- Pella, IA
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| 0 reviews
Central is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences, education, and study abroad. Most undergrads live on a residential campus in the small college town of Pella.
- SAT Range 1056-1120
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,848
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
Buena Vista University
- Private 4 Year
- Storm Lake, IA
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| 0 reviews
Buena Vista is a private university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus sits beside Storm Lake in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $19,704
Clarke University
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
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4.0 | 1 reviews
Clarke is a small private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 900-1160
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $26,725
Simpson College
- Private 4 Year
- Indianola, IA
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2.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Simpson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, business, and education. The residential campus is in the small college town of Indianola near Des Moines.
- SAT Range 890-1280
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,282