31 Best colleges for Sociology 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 Sociology. A graph of 1.95M citations received by 64.7K academic papers made by 31 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 Sociology

#45 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 Sociology

#51 in the United States

#60 in North America

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

3. University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls

For Sociology

#259 in the United States

#291 in North America

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

4. Drake University

Des Moines

For Sociology

#433 in the United States

#481 in North America

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

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell

For Sociology

#474 in the United States

#526 in North America

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

6. Luther College

Decorah

For Sociology

#851 in the United States

#919 in North America

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

7. Dordt College

Sioux Center

For Sociology

#915 in the United States

#985 in North America

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

8. Saint Ambrose University

Davenport

For Sociology

#917 in the United States

#987 in North America

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

9. Clarke University

Dubuque

For Sociology

#937 in the United States

#1008 in North America

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

10. Morningside College

Sioux

For Sociology

#1087 in the United States

#1162 in North America

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

11. Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center

Des Moines

For Sociology

#1112 in the United States

#1188 in North America

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

12. Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni

For Sociology

#1137 in the United States

#1214 in North America

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

13. Palmer College of Chiropractic

Davenport

For Sociology

#1141 in the United States

#1218 in North America

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

14. Maharishi University of Management

Fairfield

For Sociology

#1176 in the United States

#1253 in North America

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

15. Central College

Pella

For Sociology

#1178 in the United States

#1255 in North America

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

16. Coe College

Cedar Rapids

For Sociology

#1212 in the United States

#1289 in North America

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

17. Loras College

Dubuque

For Sociology

#1218 in the United States

#1295 in North America

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

18. Wartburg College

Waverly

For Sociology

#1249 in the United States

#1326 in North America

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

19. University of Dubuque

Dubuque

For Sociology

#1259 in the United States

#1336 in North America

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

20. Simpson College

Indianola

For Sociology

#1326 in the United States

#1408 in North America

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

21. Northwestern College

Orange City

For Sociology

#1329 in the United States

#1411 in North America

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

22. Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids

For Sociology

#1340 in the United States

#1422 in North America

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

23. Buena Vista University

Storm Lake

For Sociology

#1346 in the United States

#1428 in North America

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

24. Briar Cliff University

Sioux

For Sociology

#1360 in the United States

#1442 in North America

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

25. Upper Iowa University

Fayette

For Sociology

#1366 in the United States

#1449 in North America

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

26. Waldorf University

Forest City

For Sociology

#1395 in the United States

#1478 in North America

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

27. Allen College

Waterloo

For Sociology

#1419 in the United States

#1504 in North America

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

28. Grand View University

Des Moines

For Sociology

#1434 in the United States

#1519 in North America

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

29. William Penn University

Oskaloosa

For Sociology

#1471 in the United States

#1557 in North America

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

30. Divine Word College

Epworth

For Sociology

#1528 in the United States

#1615 in North America

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

31. Wartburg Theological Seminary

Dubuque

For Sociology

#1589 in the United States

#1678 in North America

Enrollment: 161
Male:Female: 44:56

Closest to Iowa states to learn Sociology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Missouri	39	38
Wisconsin	33	13
Illinois	77	12
Minnesota	28	16
Kansas	15	64
Nebraska	13	85
Indiana	35	42
South Dakota	8	313
Michigan	42	2
Arkansas	17	158
Oklahoma	21	113
Kentucky	28	59
North Dakota	7	216
Ohio	62	17
Tennessee	36	46
Mississippi	13	177
West Virginia	17	116
Colorado	22	55
Alabama	25	73
Louisiana	24	92
Pennsylvania	101	10
Virginia	42	39
Georgia	49	37
North Carolina	48	14
Texas	80	23
South Carolina	29	60
District of Columbia	11	49
Maryland	28	5
New Mexico	8	89
Montana	8	157
New York	138	6
Delaware	3	104
New Jersey	27	27
Utah	11	41
Vermont	11	122
Connecticut	21	11
Idaho	7	190
Massachusetts	72	1
New Hampshire	12	94
Rhode Island	9	66
Arizona	10	21
Florida	56	30
Maine	13	211
Nevada	6	147
Washington	30	4
Oregon	17	108
California	130	3
Puerto Rico	15	517
Alaska	4	274
Hawaii	6	95