Highest Paying Colleges in Iowa (2026)
Updated
Highest Paying Colleges in Iowa lists 28 four-year institutions in Iowa. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Iowa, highest first.
The pillar measures four-year earnings, modeled value added and program earnings relative to national benchmarks, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of Iowa ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $69,866 for its graduates four years after completing. The list includes 3 public and 25 private nonprofit institutions.
University of Iowa ranks 184th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. University of Northern Iowa posts the lowest average net price at $15,901, while Grinnell College reports the highest six-year completion rate at 88%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA | $69,866 | $22,531 | $15,316 | 83.6% |
| University of Iowa reports median earnings of $69,866 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 184th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 2 | Saint Ambrose University · Davenport, IA | $67,026 | $24,691 | $22,037 | 77.3% |
| A private nonprofit university in Davenport, Saint Ambrose University posts a six-year completion rate of 61% and an average net price of $24,691. | |||||
| 3 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $68,277 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 88.7% |
| Iowa State University admits 89% of applicants and shows median earnings of $68,277 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Briar Cliff University · Sioux City, IA | $61,163 | $23,907 | $17,764 | Not reported |
| Briar Cliff University ranks 4th on this list, with an average net price of $17,764 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | Graceland University-Lamoni · Lamoni, IA | $63,607 | $18,504 | $15,875 | 80.8% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 42%, Graceland University-Lamoni reports median earnings of $63,607 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Allen College · Waterloo, IA | $73,966 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Allen College ranks 989th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts median earnings of $73,966 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | Drake University · Des Moines, IA | $65,232 | $29,127 | $25,824 | 63.9% |
| Drake University admits 64% of applicants and carries an average net price of $25,824 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | Morningside University · Sioux City, IA | $61,955 | $31,320 | $33,738 | 71.0% |
| Morningside University reports median earnings of $61,955 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 50%. | |||||
| 9 | Grand View University · Des Moines, IA | $57,521 | $21,774 | $18,512 | 99.1% |
| Grand View University ranks 9th on this list, with an admission rate of 99% and an average net price of $21,774. | |||||
| 10 | University of Dubuque · Dubuque, IA | $59,598 | $23,386 | $18,106 | 88.6% |
| University of Dubuque posts median earnings of $59,598 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $18,106 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 11 | Grinnell College · Grinnell, IA | $58,955 | $17,648 | $9,970 | 14.5% |
| Grinnell College admits 15% of applicants, the lowest admission rate on the page, and graduates 88% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 12 | Mount Mercy University · Cedar Rapids, IA | $61,330 | $20,168 | $17,070 | 82.5% |
| Mount Mercy University ranks 869th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $61,330 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Clarke University · Dubuque, IA | $59,490 | $24,479 | $23,405 | 71.8% |
| Clarke University reports median earnings of $59,490 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $24,479. | |||||
| 14 | Upper Iowa University · Fayette, IA | $58,837 | $20,942 | $17,715 | 96.5% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 34%, Upper Iowa University admits 96% of applicants and posts median earnings of $58,837 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | Palmer College of Chiropractic · Davenport, IA | $56,452 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Palmer College of Chiropractic ranks 15th on this list, with median earnings of $56,452 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Wartburg College · Waverly, IA | $58,373 | $32,908 | $21,688 | 75.8% |
| Wartburg College shows an average net price of $32,908 and a six-year completion rate of 64%. | |||||
| 17 | Simpson College · Indianola, IA | $56,509 | $21,936 | $17,941 | 86.2% |
| Graduates of Simpson College earn a median of $56,509 four years after completing, and the school admits 86% of applicants. | |||||
| 18 | Central College · Pella, IA | $55,693 | $23,377 | $16,231 | 86.2% |
| Central College reports an average net price of $16,231 for families earning under $30,000, alongside a six-year completion rate of 66%. | |||||
| 19 | Coe College · Cedar Rapids, IA | $57,133 | $18,745 | $11,479 | 64.0% |
| Coe College ranks 864th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $57,133 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | Loras College · Dubuque, IA | $55,860 | $20,716 | $20,479 | 99.9% |
| Loras College admits 100% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 68%. | |||||
| 21 | University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA | $54,830 | $15,901 | $10,863 | 92.7% |
| University of Northern Iowa, a public university in Cedar Falls, reports an average net price of $15,901 and median earnings of $54,830 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | William Penn University · Oskaloosa, IA | $53,878 | $22,601 | $20,608 | 51.9% |
| William Penn University reports a six-year completion rate of 33% and median earnings of $53,878 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Northwestern College · Orange City, IA | $55,312 | $25,907 | $27,059 | 80.4% |
| Northwestern College shows an average net price of $27,059 for families earning under $30,000, alongside an admission rate of 80%. | |||||
| 24 | Luther College · Decorah, IA | $55,033 | $23,097 | $12,517 | 71.5% |
| Luther College reports a six-year completion rate of 71% and an average net price of $23,097. | |||||
| 25 | Buena Vista University · Storm Lake, IA | $50,318 | $18,846 | $12,901 | 77.6% |
| Buena Vista University reports median earnings of $50,318 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $12,901 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 26 | Dordt University · Sioux Center, IA | $57,567 | $25,807 | $22,597 | 68.5% |
| Dordt University admits 68% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 70%. | |||||
| 27 | Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary · Ankeny, IA | $35,449 | $16,282 | $14,121 | 67.5% |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary ranks 733rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with an average net price of $16,282. | |||||
| 28 | Cornell College · Mount Vernon, IA | $48,353 | $23,634 | $16,409 | 79.9% |
| Cornell College graduates earn a median of $48,353 four years after completing, and the school admits 80% of applicants. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's return pillar for Iowa, highest first. The pillar measures four-year earnings, modeled value added and program earnings relative to national benchmarks, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The ordering metric is the median earnings of federally aided completers at each institution, across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those who were working and not enrolled. The list does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. University of Iowa reports $69,866 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing, while Saint Ambrose University follows at $67,026.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in Iowa
- Most Affordable Colleges in Iowa
- Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Iowa
- Hidden Gem Colleges in Iowa