Top Rated Iowa Public Colleges
These are the top ranked public four-year colleges in Iowa as ranked by CollegeSimply. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the best public college in Iowa is University of Iowa. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
University of Iowa
- Public 4 Year
- Iowa City, IA
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Iowa is a large public university known for undergraduate creative writing and journalism. The campus sits in the college town of Iowa City along the Iowa River.
- SAT Range 1130-1330
- Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $21,765
Iowa State University
- Public 4 Year
- Ames, IA
-
4.0 | 4 reviews
Iowa State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and design. Ames is a college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1120-1360
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $17,779
University of Northern Iowa
- Public 4 Year
- Cedar Falls, IA
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
UNI is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Cedar Falls.
- SAT Range 1020-1280
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $16,437