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

#302 in the United States

#333 in North America

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

4. Drake University

Des Moines

#394 in the United States

#438 in North America

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

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

#452 in the United States

#499 in North America

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

6. Luther College

Decorah

#678 in the United States

#739 in North America

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

7. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

#741 in the United States

#808 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

#807 in the United States

#875 in North America

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

9. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

#908 in the United States

#976 in North America

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

10. Dordt College

Sioux Center

#970 in the United States

#1040 in North America

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

11. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

#990 in the United States

#1061 in North America

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

12. Central College

Pella

#1034 in the United States

#1106 in North America

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

13. Clarke University

Dubuque

#1063 in the United States

#1136 in North America

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

14. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

#1080 in the United States

#1153 in North America

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

15. Wartburg College

Waverly

#1097 in the United States

#1171 in North America

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

16. Loras College

Dubuque

#1104 in the United States

#1178 in North America

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

17. Morningside College

Sioux

#1117 in the United States

#1191 in North America

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

18. Simpson College

Indianola

#1244 in the United States

#1320 in North America

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

19. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

#1258 in the United States

#1336 in North America

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

20. Northwestern College

Orange City

#1259 in the United States

#1337 in North America

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

21. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

#1270 in the United States

#1348 in North America

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

22. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

#1274 in the United States

#1352 in North America

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

23. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

#1280 in the United States

#1358 in North America

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

24. Cornell College

Mount Vernon

#1331 in the United States

#1409 in North America

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

25. Waldorf University

Forest City

#1460 in the United States

#1543 in North America

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

26. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

#1464 in the United States

#1547 in North America

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

27. Grand View University

Des Moines

#1498 in the United States

#1582 in North America

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

28. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

#1527 in the United States

#1612 in North America

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

29. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

#1546 in the United States

#1632 in North America

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

30. Allen College

Waterloo

#1753 in the United States

#1841 in North America

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

31. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

#1770 in the United States

#1858 in North America

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

32. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

#1831 in the United States

#1920 in North America

Enrollment: 164
Male:Female: 41:59

33. Divine Word College

Epworth

#1867 in the United States

#1957 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

#1933 in the United States

#2025 in North America

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

35. Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque

#2166 in the United States

#2263 in North America

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

36. Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny

#2167 in the United States

#2264 in North America

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

37. Hamilton Technical College

Davenport

#2243 in the United States

#2343 in North America

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

38. St Luke's College

Sioux

#2309 in the United States

#2410 in North America

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

39. Shiloh University

Kalona

#2418 in the United States

#2519 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	74
Nebraska	23	64
Indiana	55	33
South Dakota	15	232
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	128
Oklahoma	31	99
Kentucky	38	63
North Dakota	14	177
Ohio	90	18
Tennessee	56	50
Mississippi	18	132
West Virginia	26	105
Colorado	38	44
Alabama	33	87
Wyoming	1	146
Louisiana	27	79
Pennsylvania	155	12
Virginia	63	40
Georgia	63	47
North Carolina	65	24
Texas	119	26
South Carolina	37	89
District of Columbia	15	55
Maryland	34	9
New Mexico	12	84
Montana	12	145
New York	221	4
Delaware	5	82
New Jersey	47	21
Utah	20	41
Vermont	17	111
Connecticut	28	10
Idaho	10	149
Massachusetts	88	1
New Hampshire	16	76
Rhode Island	12	49
Arizona	25	35
Florida	109	23
Maine	19	154
Nevada	10	129
Washington	57	8
Oregon	31	60
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	367
US Virgin Islands	1	790
Alaska	6	181
Hawaii	10	159
American Samoa	1	1689
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1585
Guam	2	601

Closest to Iowa states