List of 39 best universities in Iowa State

Updated: July 18, 2023

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 7.94M citations received by 324K academic publications made by 39 universities from Iowa State, the popularity of 1,426 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Iowa

Iowa City

#47 in the United States

#50 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 87%

2. Iowa State University

Ames

#53 in the United States

#57 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1207
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 93%

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

#289 in the United States

#321 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 82%

4. Cornell College

Mount Vernon

#357 in the United States

#398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $22,667

5. Drake University

Des Moines

#381 in the United States

#425 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $29,507

6. Grinnell College

Grinnell

#468 in the United States

#517 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $37,423

7. Luther College

Decorah

#722 in the United States

#786 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1203
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $25,929

8. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

#730 in the United States

#797 in North America

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

9. Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center

Des Moines

#784 in the United States

#852 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 1,562
Male:Female: 47:53
Founded: 1898

10. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

#874 in the United States

#942 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $14,573
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,157

11. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

#948 in the United States

#1017 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,844

12. Dordt College

Sioux Center

#954 in the United States

#1023 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $26,662

13. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

#1038 in the United States

#1109 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $19,141
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $40,622

14. Central College

Pella

#1043 in the United States

#1114 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,966

15. Wartburg College

Waverly

#1091 in the United States

#1164 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1086
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $23,022

16. Clarke University

Dubuque

#1105 in the United States

#1178 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1010
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $25,414

17. Loras College

Dubuque

#1133 in the United States

#1207 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $20,068
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,765

18. Morningside College

Sioux

#1185 in the United States

#1261 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $23,222
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,473

19. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

#1205 in the United States

#1282 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1000
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $18,595

20. Simpson College

Indianola

#1229 in the United States

#1306 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $20,986

21. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

#1283 in the United States

#1360 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $24,868
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,700

22. Northwestern College

Orange City

#1297 in the United States

#1376 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,848

23. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

#1306 in the United States

#1385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1052
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $18,532

24. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

#1351 in the United States

#1431 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,888

25. Waldorf University

Forest City

#1439 in the United States

#1522 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $21,483
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $14,314

26. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

#1488 in the United States

#1573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 930
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $21,112

27. Grand View University

Des Moines

#1504 in the United States

#1589 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Average SAT: 1000
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $20,434

28. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

#1539 in the United States

#1625 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,734
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,701

29. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

#1685 in the United States

#1772 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 920
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $34,988

30. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

#1688 in the United States

#1775 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $25,345
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,399

31. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

#1830 in the United States

#1919 in North America

Enrollment: 206
Male:Female: 37:63

32. Allen College

Waterloo

#1832 in the United States

#1921 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 552
Male:Female: 8:92
Founded: 1989

33. Mercy College of Health Sciences

Des Moines

#1931 in the United States

#2023 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $18,129
Receiving Aid: 88%

34. Divine Word College

Epworth

#1936 in the United States

#2028 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,730
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,250

35. Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny

#2168 in the United States

#2266 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $16,851

36. Hamilton Technical College

Davenport

#2169 in the United States

#2267 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,983
Receiving Aid: 77%
Average Aid: $5,859

37. Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque

#2188 in the United States

#2286 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $15,687

38. St Luke's College

Sioux

#2279 in the United States

#2379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,953
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $9,978

39. Shiloh University

Kalona

#2392 in the United States

#2493 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
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	74
Nebraska	23	70
Indiana	55	39
South Dakota	15	242
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	126
Oklahoma	31	97
Kentucky	38	58
North Dakota	14	185
Ohio	90	17
Tennessee	56	49
Mississippi	18	132
West Virginia	26	110
Colorado	38	46
Alabama	33	84
Wyoming	1	143
Louisiana	27	83
Pennsylvania	155	11
Virginia	63	41
Georgia	63	44
North Carolina	65	24
Texas	119	25
South Carolina	37	87
District of Columbia	15	66
Maryland	34	12
New Mexico	12	79
Montana	12	144
New York	221	6
Delaware	5	89
New Jersey	47	23
Utah	20	40
Vermont	17	106
Connecticut	28	8
Idaho	10	157
Massachusetts	88	1
New Hampshire	16	78
Rhode Island	12	54
Arizona	25	30
Florida	109	22
Maine	19	154
Nevada	10	130
Washington	57	7
Oregon	31	63
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	375
US Virgin Islands	1	803
Alaska	6	179
Hawaii	10	160
American Samoa	1	1703
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1622
Guam	2	595

Closest to Iowa states