Ranking

Best Colleges in Iowa

Best Colleges By State

Colleges

Why Should I Consider Studying in Iowa?

If you enjoy small communities and appreciate schools that place a premium on research, arts, and sports, then you’ll love Iowa. The University of Iowa is right in the state’s capital, Iowa City. The school offers programs ranging across engineering, humanities, and sciences. This capital city has gained recognition for its theater and music, and the university ranks among the best for performing arts programs.

The Iowas State University at Ames is a top choice if you’re looking to obtain an engineering degree. It’s one of America’s top engineering schools and well-known for its research programs. Schools like the University of Dubuque and the University of Northern Iowa are great if you want a more intimate college experience.

Iowa allows you to enjoy a small-town atmosphere and a memorable college experience. It also offers excellent employment prospects post-graduation. So you can expect companies to hire students reasonably easily.

Iowa Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in Iowa

Iowa has the 29th most colleges in the nation with 76 colleges based there. For context, that's 7.6 times more colleges than the state with the fewest. 75% of Iowa's colleges are private and 25% of its colleges are public. (57 private colleges & 19 public colleges). It has the 34th most public colleges and the 21st most private colleges of any state.

Our favorite colleges in Iowa are Grinnell College, Drake University, and Luther College. Iowa State University has more students than all other public colleges in Iowa's top 25 colleges (35,319). Upper Iowa University has the most students of any private college in our top 25 (6,809).

Students in Iowa

The median state has 314,827 college students. Iowa has 39,529 fewer. There are 209,547 public college students and 65,751 private college students in Iowa. It has fewer public college students than 60% of states and fewer pivate college students than 58% of states. Its 275,298 total students make it the 30th most popular state in the United States of America. 24% of students in Iowa attend private colleges which is the 24th highest percentage across the nation.