32 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Iowa State

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Iowa State ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 4.69M citations received by 161K academic papers made by 32 universities in Iowa State was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Iowa

Iowa City

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#44 in the United States

#50 in North America

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

2. Iowa State University

Ames

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#54 in the United States

#64 in North America

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

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#279 in the United States

#314 in North America

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

4. Drake University

Des Moines

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#447 in the United States

#498 in North America

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

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#487 in the United States

#539 in North America

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

6. Luther College

Decorah

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#768 in the United States

#837 in North America

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

7. Dordt College

Sioux Center

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#821 in the United States

#891 in North America

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

8. Clarke University

Dubuque

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#907 in the United States

#979 in North America

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

9. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#944 in the United States

#1016 in North America

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

10. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#985 in the United States

#1057 in North America

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

11. Morningside College

Sioux

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1076 in the United States

#1153 in North America

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

12. Wartburg College

Waverly

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1092 in the United States

#1170 in North America

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

13. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1122 in the United States

#1200 in North America

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

14. Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center

Des Moines

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1128 in the United States

#1206 in North America

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

15. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1177 in the United States

#1255 in North America

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

16. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1185 in the United States

#1263 in North America

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

17. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1192 in the United States

#1270 in North America

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

18. Central College

Pella

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1195 in the United States

#1273 in North America

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

19. Loras College

Dubuque

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1213 in the United States

#1291 in North America

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

20. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1266 in the United States

#1346 in North America

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

21. Waldorf University

Forest City

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1279 in the United States

#1359 in North America

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

22. Northwestern College

Orange City

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1299 in the United States

#1379 in North America

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

23. Simpson College

Indianola

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1323 in the United States

#1404 in North America

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

24. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1396 in the United States

#1479 in North America

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

25. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1402 in the United States

#1485 in North America

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

26. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1418 in the United States

#1502 in North America

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

27. Allen College

Waterloo

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1423 in the United States

#1508 in North America

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

28. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1442 in the United States

#1528 in North America

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

29. Grand View University

Des Moines

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1491 in the United States

#1578 in North America

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

30. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1665 in the United States

#1756 in North America

Enrollment: 161
Male:Female: 44:56

31. Divine Word College

Epworth

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1680 in the United States

#1771 in North America

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

32. Iowa Wesleyan University

Mount Pleasant

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1748 in the United States

#1839 in North America

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

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Missouri	44	40
Wisconsin	36	14
Illinois	79	12
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	22	74
Nebraska	15	87
Indiana	38	39
South Dakota	12	331
Michigan	47	3
Arkansas	18	146
Oklahoma	22	103
Kentucky	29	60
North Dakota	9	216
Ohio	67	19
Tennessee	39	46
Mississippi	15	177
West Virginia	20	120
Colorado	24	52
Alabama	30	82
Louisiana	27	79
Pennsylvania	114	9
Virginia	42	37
Georgia	52	42
North Carolina	50	20
Texas	89	21
South Carolina	32	68
District of Columbia	13	48
Maryland	28	8
New Mexico	9	100
Montana	9	166
New York	146	6
Delaware	4	97
New Jersey	29	22
Utah	11	45
Vermont	12	124
Connecticut	22	10
Idaho	7	193
Massachusetts	75	1
New Hampshire	13	84
Rhode Island	9	56
Arizona	10	29
Florida	70	31
Maine	16	199
Nevada	8	149
Washington	39	5
Oregon	21	96
California	147	2
Puerto Rico	15	414
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	106