Best Value Iowa Colleges
Iowa has 20 colleges ranked by value, part of our national best value ranking. We weigh academic quality against average net price so you find schools that deliver strong results without overpaying.
Wartburg College offers the best value in Iowa for 2027 with a 6 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $24,031. The top value public university is Iowa State University. Also high value: Grinnell College, Coe College and Luther College.
Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the colleges below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by net price, acceptance rate, or academic rating to find the best deal for your budget.
Wartburg College
- Private 4 Year
- Waverly, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Wartburg is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, education, and biology. Most students live on the residential campus in the small Iowa town of Waverly, with long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
- SAT Range 930-1200
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $24,031
Grinnell College
- Private 4 Year
- Grinnell, IA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Grinnell is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for an open curriculum and undergraduate work in the sciences and social sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small town of Grinnell.
- SAT Range 1410-1540
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 15%
- Net Price $34,363
Coe College
- Private 4 Year
- Cedar Rapids, IA
-
| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Coe is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate writing, biology, and business. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Cedar Rapids.
- SAT Range 1070-1290
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $20,864
Luther College
- Private 4 Year
- Decorah, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Luther is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and the sciences. The residential campus sits among the bluffs of Decorah in northeast Iowa.
- SAT Range 1078-1406
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $24,511
Drake University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
Drake is a private university known for undergraduate journalism, pharmacy, and business. The campus sits in a residential neighborhood near downtown Des Moines.
- SAT Range 1110-1350
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $29,565
Simpson College
- Private 4 Year
- Indianola, IA
-
2.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Simpson is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate music, business, and education. The residential campus is in the small college town of Indianola near Des Moines.
- SAT Range 890-1280
- Avg GPA 3.62
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,282
Cornell College
- Private 4 Year
- Mount Vernon, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college known for its One Course At A Time calendar of intensive undergraduate courses. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Mount Vernon.
- SAT Range 1120-1285
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $25,220
Iowa State University
- Public 4 Year
- Ames, IA
-
4.0 | 4 reviews
Iowa State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and design. Ames is a college town built around the campus.
- SAT Range 1120-1360
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $17,779
University of Iowa
- Public 4 Year
- Iowa City, IA
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Iowa is a large public university known for undergraduate creative writing and journalism. The campus sits in the college town of Iowa City along the Iowa River.
- SAT Range 1130-1330
- Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $21,765
Saint Ambrose University
- Private 4 Year
- Davenport, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Saint Ambrose is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The residential campus sits in the Quad Cities along the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 930-1170
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $25,345
Dordt University
- Private 4 Year
- Sioux Center, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Dordt is a private Christian university known for undergraduate engineering, agriculture, and education. The residential campus sits in the small town of Sioux Center in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 1070-1330
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $28,486
Central College
- Private 4 Year
- Pella, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Central is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences, education, and study abroad. Most undergrads live on a residential campus in the small college town of Pella.
- SAT Range 1056-1120
- Avg GPA 3.52
- Acceptance Rate 86%
- Net Price $23,848
University of Northern Iowa
- Public 4 Year
- Cedar Falls, IA
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
UNI is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Cedar Falls.
- SAT Range 1020-1280
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $16,437
Buena Vista University
- Private 4 Year
- Storm Lake, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Buena Vista is a private university known for undergraduate education and business. The residential campus sits beside Storm Lake in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 930-1130
- Avg GPA 3.49
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $19,704
University of Dubuque
- Private 4 Year
- Dubuque, IA
-
| 0 reviews
University of Dubuque is a private Presbyterian university known for undergraduate aviation and nursing. Most students live on the residential campus near the Mississippi River.
- SAT Range 980-1220
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $26,067
Graceland University Lamoni
- Private 4 Year
- Lamoni, IA
-
| 0 reviews
Graceland is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and education. Most students live on the residential campus in the small college town of Lamoni.
- SAT Range 880-1120
- Avg GPA 3.22
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $19,574
Grand View University
- Private 4 Year
- Des Moines, IA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Grand View is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The urban campus sits in Des Moines, Iowa's capital city.
- SAT Range 920-1080
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 99%
- Net Price $22,319
Northwestern College
- Private 4 Year
- Orange City, IA
-
4.0 | 2 reviews
Northwestern College is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate education and nursing. The campus sits in the small town of Orange City in northwest Iowa.
- SAT Range 940-1240
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $26,347