List of 39 best universities in Iowa State

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Top 39 universities in Iowa State ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 11.8M citations received by 389K academic publications made by 39 universities from Iowa State, the popularity of 1,587 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Iowa

Iowa City

#48 in the United States

#52 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 88%

2. Iowa State University

Ames

#56 in the United States

#60 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

#299 in the United States

#330 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 83%

4. Drake University

Des Moines

#388 in the United States

#432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $30,886

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

#444 in the United States

#491 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1484
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $33,446

6. Luther College

Decorah

#664 in the United States

#725 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1208
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,790

7. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

#752 in the United States

#820 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Net Price: $23,515
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,420

8. Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center

Des Moines

#791 in the United States

#859 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 1,521
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1898

9. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

#887 in the United States

#955 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $18,875
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,855

10. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

#962 in the United States

#1032 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $23,578
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,559

11. Dordt College

Sioux Center

#976 in the United States

#1046 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $27,925

12. Central College

Pella

#1054 in the United States

#1127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,499

13. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

#1061 in the United States

#1134 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,940

14. Clarke University

Dubuque

#1067 in the United States

#1140 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 968
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $25,692

15. Wartburg College

Waverly

#1103 in the United States

#1178 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Average SAT: 1107
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $23,321

16. Simpson College

Indianola

#1144 in the United States

#1220 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $23,637
Receiving Aid: 100%

17. Loras College

Dubuque

#1156 in the United States

#1232 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Net Price: $22,338
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,030

18. Morningside College

Sioux

#1174 in the United States

#1250 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average ACT: 17
Net Price: $23,482
Receiving Aid: 100%

19. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

#1225 in the United States

#1302 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $16,632
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,218

20. Northwestern College

Orange City

#1266 in the United States

#1343 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $24,737
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,319

21. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

#1286 in the United States

#1363 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $25,216

22. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

#1305 in the United States

#1383 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $18,156
Receiving Aid: 99%

23. Cornell College

Mount Vernon

#1336 in the United States

#1415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1234
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,850

24. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

#1362 in the United States

#1442 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $22,427

25. Waldorf University

Forest City

#1442 in the United States

#1525 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $21,510
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $16,542

26. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

#1446 in the United States

#1529 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,972
Receiving Aid: 100%

27. Grand View University

Des Moines

#1462 in the United States

#1545 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $22,296
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,959

28. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

#1519 in the United States

#1603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,292
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $26,325

29. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

#1576 in the United States

#1662 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 965
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $22,361

30. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

#1719 in the United States

#1806 in North America

Net Price: $20,074
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $26,670
Enrollment: 704

31. Allen College

Waterloo

#1771 in the United States

#1859 in North America

Net Price: $31,509
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $1,625
Enrollment: 489

32. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

#1835 in the United States

#1924 in North America

Enrollment: 164
Male:Female: 41:59

33. Divine Word College

Epworth

#1869 in the United States

#1959 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $12,917
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,583

34. Mercy College of Health Sciences

Des Moines

#1924 in the United States

#2016 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $24,881
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $6,973

35. Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny

#2163 in the United States

#2260 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $18,288

36. Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque

#2194 in the United States

#2292 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 985
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $14,393

37. Hamilton Technical College

Davenport

#2215 in the United States

#2313 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,650
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $6,343

38. St Luke's College

Sioux

#2297 in the United States

#2398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $12,771
Receiving Aid: 100%

39. Shiloh University

Kalona

#2394 in the United States

#2495 in North America

Receiving Aid: 0%

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Missouri	67	39
Wisconsin	47	13
Illinois	100	15
Minnesota	48	14
Kansas	32	72
Nebraska	23	68
Indiana	55	32
South Dakota	15	234
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	127
Oklahoma	31	96
Kentucky	38	61
North Dakota	14	182
Ohio	90	18
Tennessee	56	50
Mississippi	18	132
West Virginia	26	110
Colorado	38	44
Alabama	33	85
Wyoming	1	144
Louisiana	27	79
Pennsylvania	155	12
Virginia	63	40
Georgia	63	47
North Carolina	65	24
Texas	119	26
South Carolina	37	88
District of Columbia	15	55
Maryland	34	9
New Mexico	12	82
Montana	12	154
New York	221	4
Delaware	5	90
New Jersey	47	21
Utah	20	41
Vermont	17	111
Connecticut	28	10
Idaho	10	147
Massachusetts	88	1
New Hampshire	16	77
Rhode Island	12	49
Arizona	25	34
Florida	109	23
Maine	19	153
Nevada	10	131
Washington	57	8
Oregon	31	63
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	360
US Virgin Islands	1	796
Alaska	6	177
Hawaii	10	159
American Samoa	1	1705
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1596
Guam	2	616

Closest to Iowa states