2024 Best High Schools in Iowa

What High School Paths Does Iowa Provide?

Iowa is home to 416 high schools, a number that's 18% higher than the national average, making it the 16th highest state per capita for high schools. The average rating of all these schools is a B–, also in line with the national average. Of all the schools in Iowa, 84% are public and 99% of those public schools are traditional schools. Two-thirds of the traditional public schools (228) rate above the national average, so quality is not an issue.

Of the remaining 16%, 15% are private schools, of which the median grade is B+. Of the 61 private schools in the state, 41 are rated above the national average, making it the 42nd highest state per capita for private schools. Out of the 61 private schools, an overwhelming 92% are religiously affiliated, with the most common type being Christian (32).

Unfortunately, Iowa falls below the national average in terms of alternative schools. Charter schools, for example, are only 2 in total, placing the state in the 40th spot for per capita charter schools (89% below the average state). There are also no magnet schools in Iowa, making it the 45th lowest state per capita for this type of school. Lastly, there's also only a single all-boys school, making it the 49th lowest state per capita for this option.

Lastly, there are also 6 schools in Iowa that offer online education, making it the 21st highest state per capita. However, this is still just 1% of all schools, so the state is still not rich with online learning options.