College Trends

Public universities in Iowa

The College Scorecard lists 3 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Iowa, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 55,160 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $18,517 a year, higher than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $67,568 at the median institution, higher than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 75.8%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
3
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
55,160
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$18,517
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$67,568
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$21,250
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
75.8%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Iowa on one chart

Pick any two measures. Hover a dot to see the school; click it to open the school's page.

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Iowa. Showing 3 of 3 public universities in Iowa; schools missing either value are left out.

All 3 public universities in Iowa

Iowa State University
Ames
25,367$18,517$11,092$30,140$67,568$21,25076.7%87.6%88.7%
University of Iowa
Iowa City
22,264$22,508$11,622$33,710$70,727$21,26275.8%90.4%83.6%
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls
7,529$16,038$10,201$22,359$57,187$18,03968.6%81.7%92.7%
Showing 3 of 3. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Iowa

How many public universities are in Iowa?
The College Scorecard lists 3 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Iowa.
What do public universities in Iowa cost?
Across the 3 schools that report it, the median average net price is $18,517 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $16,038 at University of Northern Iowa to $22,508 at University of Iowa.
Which public universities in Iowa have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: University of Northern Iowa ($16,038), Iowa State University ($18,517), and University of Iowa ($22,508).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Iowa?
The median published in-state tuition is $11,092 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $30,140. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Iowa earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $67,568 10 years after starting college (3 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at University of Iowa ($70,727), Iowa State University ($67,568), and University of Northern Iowa ($57,187).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Iowa?
The median graduation rate is 75.8%, across 3 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Iowa have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $21,250 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Iowa

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How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.