List of 39 best universities in Iowa State

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 12.2M citations received by 396K academic publications made by 39 universities from Iowa State, the popularity of 1,667 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Iowa

Iowa City

#49 in the United States

#53 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 90%

2. Iowa State University

Ames

#53 in the United States

#57 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

#305 in the United States

#338 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 84%

4. Drake University

Des Moines

#396 in the United States

#442 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $29,565

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

#434 in the United States

#481 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $34,363

6. Luther College

Decorah

#690 in the United States

#754 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1242
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,511

7. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

#712 in the United States

#779 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

#736 in the United States

#804 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 1,534
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 1898

9. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

#875 in the United States

#944 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $16,281
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $11,496

10. Clarke University

Dubuque

#891 in the United States

#961 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $26,725

11. Dordt College

Sioux Center

#907 in the United States

#978 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,486

12. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

#1009 in the United States

#1082 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $25,345

13. Central College

Pella

#1022 in the United States

#1095 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1088
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $23,848

14. Morningside College

Sioux

#1039 in the United States

#1113 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $24,437
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $28,397

15. Wartburg College

Waverly

#1041 in the United States

#1115 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,031

16. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

#1058 in the United States

#1132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $20,864

17. Northwestern College

Orange City

#1115 in the United States

#1190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $26,347
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,537

18. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

#1163 in the United States

#1238 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $20,426
Receiving Aid: 98%

19. Simpson College

Indianola

#1188 in the United States

#1264 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $23,282
Receiving Aid: 100%

20. Cornell College

Mount Vernon

#1271 in the United States

#1349 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1203
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,220

21. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

#1279 in the United States

#1357 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $26,067

22. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

#1304 in the United States

#1382 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,704
Receiving Aid: 100%

23. Loras College

Dubuque

#1305 in the United States

#1383 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,631
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $28,835

24. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

#1319 in the United States

#1397 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $19,574
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $28,754

25. Waldorf University

Forest City

#1435 in the United States

#1520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $19,766
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $20,127

26. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

#1454 in the United States

#1539 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $24,347
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,735

27. Grand View University

Des Moines

#1465 in the United States

#1551 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $22,319
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,330

28. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

#1473 in the United States

#1559 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,263
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $28,425

29. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

#1559 in the United States

#1645 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $22,740

30. Allen College

Waterloo

#1721 in the United States

#1809 in North America

Net Price: $31,509
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $1,625
Enrollment: 483

31. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

#1800 in the United States

#1889 in North America

Enrollment: 161
Male:Female: 44:56

32. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

#1820 in the United States

#1909 in North America

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

33. Divine Word College

Epworth

#1854 in the United States

#1945 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $3,083
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,417

34. Mercy College of Health Sciences

Des Moines

#1924 in the United States

#2016 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $28,313
Receiving Aid: 88%

35. Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

Ankeny

#2128 in the United States

#2225 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,733

36. Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque

#2151 in the United States

#2250 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1220
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $15,028

37. Hamilton Technical College

Davenport

#2237 in the United States

#2338 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $27,001
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $4,802

38. St Luke's College

Sioux

#2283 in the United States

#2384 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $18,248
Receiving Aid: 100%

39. Shiloh University

Kalona

#2419 in the United States

#2520 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	73
Nebraska	23	64
Indiana	55	34
South Dakota	15	223
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	128
Oklahoma	31	97
Kentucky	38	59
North Dakota	14	180
Ohio	90	18
Tennessee	56	48
Mississippi	18	132
West Virginia	26	108
Colorado	38	45
Alabama	33	85
Wyoming	1	142
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	51
Maryland	34	9
New Mexico	12	83
Montana	12	153
New York	221	4
Delaware	5	90
New Jersey	47	21
Utah	20	41
Vermont	17	114
Connecticut	28	10
Idaho	10	146
Massachusetts	88	1
New Hampshire	16	74
Rhode Island	12	50
Arizona	25	35
Florida	109	23
Maine	19	155
Nevada	10	131
Washington	57	8
Oregon	31	61
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	366
US Virgin Islands	1	789
Alaska	6	182
Hawaii	10	357
American Samoa	1	1625
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1521
Guam	2	623

Closest to Iowa states