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Best Schools in Iowa

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2023 Best Schools in Iowa

17 Schools Ranked
$42,838 Average Earnings
$26,017 Avg Student Debt

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamp that offer fast-track entry to many fields.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Grad Degree Search has developed this Best Schools in Iowa ranking. Our analysis looked at 17 schools in Iowa to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Schools in Iowa

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Northwestern College

Orange City, Iowa

Our 2023 rankings named Northwestern College the best school in Iowa for students working on their degree.

Full Northwestern College Report

#2

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Drake University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Schools in Iowa list.

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#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

The excellent programs at University of Iowa helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Iowa.

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#4

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Ambrose University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Schools in Iowa list.

Full Saint Ambrose University Report

#5

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa

Out of the 17 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Simpson College landed the # 5 spot on the list.

Read full report on Simpson College

#6

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

Iowa State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Iowa ranking.

Full Iowa State University Report

#7

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa ranked #7 on this year’s Best Schools in Iowa list.

Read full report on University of Northern Iowa

#8

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Schools in Iowa list.

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#9

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, Iowa

With a ranking of #9, Buena Vista University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

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Graceland University - Lamoni landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

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#11

Morningside College

Sioux City, Iowa

With a ranking of #11, Morningside College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

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#12

Grand View University

Des Moines, Iowa

With a ranking of #12, Grand View University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Grand View University

#13

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Iowa ranking.

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#14

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa

Briar Cliff University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Iowa ranking.

Read full report on Briar Cliff University

#15

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, Iowa

Upper Iowa University landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Read full report on Upper Iowa University

#16

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, Iowa

University of Dubuque came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in Iowa ranking.

Full University of Dubuque Report

#17

Clarke University

Dubuque, Iowa

With a ranking of #17, Clarke University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Clarke University

View Best Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 17 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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