List of 39 best universities in Iowa State

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 8.58M citations received by 342K academic publications made by 39 universities from Iowa State, the popularity of 1,524 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Iowa

Iowa City

#47 in the United States

#51 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

2. Iowa State University

Ames

#55 in the United States

#59 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

#296 in the United States

#327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 89%

4. Drake University

Des Moines

#384 in the United States

#429 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $30,333

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

#447 in the United States

#494 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $33,467

6. Luther College

Decorah

#702 in the United States

#764 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1203
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $25,734

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

#791 in the United States

#859 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 1,527
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1898

9. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

#883 in the United States

#951 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $16,979
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $11,751

10. Cornell College

Mount Vernon

#896 in the United States

#964 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,686

11. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

#950 in the United States

#1020 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $23,359

12. Dordt College

Sioux Center

#954 in the United States

#1024 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1140
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $27,375

13. Central College

Pella

#1034 in the United States

#1106 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1129
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $23,303

14. Clarke University

Dubuque

#1040 in the United States

#1112 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1040
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $27,275

15. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

#1045 in the United States

#1117 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,237
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $43,143

16. Wartburg College

Waverly

#1095 in the United States

#1168 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,683

17. Loras College

Dubuque

#1151 in the United States

#1226 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $21,886
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,538

18. Simpson College

Indianola

#1158 in the United States

#1233 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $23,185
Receiving Aid: 100%

19. Morningside College

Sioux

#1197 in the United States

#1274 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $23,947
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,011

20. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

#1227 in the United States

#1304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $16,627
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,753

21. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

#1279 in the United States

#1356 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $22,879
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,005

22. Northwestern College

Orange City

#1283 in the United States

#1360 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $25,198
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,228

23. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

#1285 in the United States

#1362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $19,204

24. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

#1351 in the United States

#1431 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $24,563

25. Grand View University

Des Moines

#1462 in the United States

#1546 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $20,236
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,893

26. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

#1493 in the United States

#1577 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,620
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,614

27. Waldorf University

Forest City

#1512 in the United States

#1596 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $18,620
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $17,359

28. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

#1593 in the United States

#1679 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 965
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $20,922

29. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

#1687 in the United States

#1774 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $24,078
Receiving Aid: 100%

30. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

#1721 in the United States

#1808 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 920
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $20,074

31. Allen College

Waterloo

#1755 in the United States

#1843 in North America

Net Price: $31,509
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $1,625
Enrollment: 497

32. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

#1826 in the United States

#1915 in North America

Enrollment: 186
Male:Female: 40:60

33. Divine Word College

Epworth

#1867 in the United States

#1958 in North America

Net Price: $12,917
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,583
Enrollment: 68

34. Mercy College of Health Sciences

Des Moines

#1937 in the United States

#2029 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $22,433
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $9,472

35. Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny

#2161 in the United States

#2258 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $14,845

36. Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque

#2194 in the United States

#2292 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $15,521
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Hamilton Technical College

Davenport

#2213 in the United States

#2311 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,056
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $6,352

38. St Luke's College

Sioux

#2297 in the United States

#2398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average ACT: 17
Net Price: $19,405
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	38
Wisconsin	47	13
Illinois	100	15
Minnesota	48	14
Kansas	32	75
Nebraska	23	68
Indiana	55	39
South Dakota	15	233
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	127
Oklahoma	31	100
Kentucky	38	60
North Dakota	14	182
Ohio	90	18
Tennessee	56	50
Mississippi	18	133
West Virginia	26	112
Colorado	38	46
Alabama	33	84
Wyoming	1	141
Louisiana	27	79
Pennsylvania	155	12
Virginia	63	41
Georgia	63	44
North Carolina	65	24
Texas	119	26
South Carolina	37	87
District of Columbia	15	56
Maryland	34	9
New Mexico	12	81
Montana	12	153
New York	221	4
Delaware	5	90
New Jersey	47	23
Utah	20	40
Vermont	17	109
Connecticut	28	11
Idaho	10	148
Massachusetts	88	1
New Hampshire	16	77
Rhode Island	12	49
Arizona	25	34
Florida	109	22
Maine	19	152
Nevada	10	130
Washington	57	8
Oregon	31	63
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	373
US Virgin Islands	1	811
Alaska	6	181
Hawaii	10	160
American Samoa	1	1702
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1594
Guam	2	614

Closest to Iowa states