Best Computer Science Colleges in Iowa (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 13 Computer Science programs in Iowa by median earnings of Computer Science graduates four years after completing. Grinnell College leads the list with median earnings of $109,892 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $88,264, with a range from $109,892 to $46,296. For 4 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 3 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions. University of Northern Iowa reports the lowest average net price at $15,901.
Grinnell College posts the highest six-year completion rate, graduating 88% of its students within six years. University of Iowa ranks 184th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Computer Science Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell College · Grinnell, IA | $109,892 | $17,648 | $9,970 | 14.5% |
| Grinnell College reports $109,892 in median earnings for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, alongside an 88% six-year completion rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (56 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($109,892) | |||||
| 2 | Simpson College · Indianola, IA | $92,736 | $21,936 | $17,941 | 86.2% |
| With an admission rate of 86%, Simpson College posts median earnings of $92,736 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (14 graduates), Computer Science (10 graduates) | |||||
| 3 | Drake University · Des Moines, IA | $90,639 | $29,127 | $25,824 | 63.9% |
| Drake University graduates 74% of its students within six years and lists median earnings of $90,639 for Computer Science completers four years out. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($90,639) | |||||
| 4 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $90,176 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 88.7% |
| A public university in Ames, Iowa State University reports $90,176 in median earnings for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (195 graduates), Computer Science (96 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($104,211) | |||||
| 5 | Central College · Pella, IA | $89,838 | $23,377 | $16,231 | 86.2% |
| Central College carries an average net price of $23,377 and shows median earnings of $89,838 for Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (8 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA | $89,305 | $15,901 | $10,863 | 92.7% |
| University of Northern Iowa holds the lowest average net price on the page at $15,901 and reports median earnings of $89,305 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (33 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Science ($89,305) | |||||
| 7 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $88,264 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
| Ranking 184th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, University of Iowa lists median earnings of $88,264 for Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (96 graduates), Computer and Information Sciences, General (37 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer and Information Sciences, General ($88,264) | |||||
| 8 | Cornell College · Mount Vernon, IA | $84,938 | $23,634 | $16,409 | 79.9% |
| Cornell College admits 80% of applicants and reports median earnings of $84,938 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (16 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | Luther College · Decorah, IA | $75,518 | $23,097 | $12,517 | 71.5% |
| Luther College reports median earnings of $75,518 for Computer Science graduates two years after completing, with a six-year completion rate of 71%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Information Science/Studies (14 graduates), Computer Science (13 graduates) | |||||
| 10 | Mount Mercy University · Cedar Rapids, IA | $63,005 | $20,168 | $17,070 | 82.5% |
| Mount Mercy University posts median earnings of $63,005 for its Computer Science graduates two years after completing and an average net price of $20,168. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (8 graduates) | |||||
| 11 | Coe College · Cedar Rapids, IA | $61,516 | $18,745 | $11,479 | 64.0% |
| Coe College lists median earnings of $61,516 for Computer Science graduates two years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 64%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Science (11 graduates) | |||||
| 12 | Clarke University · Dubuque, IA | $57,318 | $24,479 | $23,405 | 71.8% |
| Clarke University reports median earnings of $57,318 for its Computer Science graduates two years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 56%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer and Information Sciences, General (6 graduates) | |||||
| 13 | University of Dubuque · Dubuque, IA | $46,296 | $23,386 | $18,106 | 88.6% |
| University of Dubuque, a private nonprofit university in Dubuque, reports median earnings of $46,296 for its Computer Science graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 40%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Software and Media Applications (7 graduates), Computer and Information Sciences, General (5 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Computer Science graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Computer Science earnings cohort in Iowa appear. The figures cover federally aided Computer Science completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from $46,296 to $109,892 and the list median of $88,264 cover the 13 schools with a published figure. Grinnell College reports $109,892, a gap of $17,156 above Simpson College at $92,736.
Job market context in Iowa
The Bureau of Labor Statistics links Computer Science graduates in Iowa to occupations such as Software Developers, Computer User Support Specialists, and Computer Systems Analysts. The median annual wage across those occupations is $90,600, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $72,617. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 2,690 openings a year, or about 349 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 8.0% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, not the occupational wage figures described here.