College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Iowa

18 Colleges in Iowa
5,228 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$27,682 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #3 in popularity, liberal arts / sciences & humanities is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 18 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Iowa ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 5,228 degrees in liberal arts / sciences & humanities to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities School

Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Iowa Your choice of liberal arts / sciences & humanities school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
Bachelor's Degrees in Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in Iowa list, to help you choose the best school for you. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities in Iowa

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree levels they offer.

10 Top Iowa Schools in Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
191 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$38,648 Median Starting Salary

Any student who is interested in liberal arts / sciences & humanities has to take a look at University of Iowa. Iowa is a fairly large public university located in the city of Iowa City. A Best Colleges rank of #84 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Iowa is a great university overall.

There were about 191 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities degree recipients from University of Iowa get an earnings boost of around $10,966 above the typical earnings of liberal arts / sciences & humanities graduates.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from University of Iowa

2
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
57 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$29,615 Median Starting Salary

University of Northern Iowa is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, UNI is a public university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #199 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UNI is a great university overall.

There were about 57 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at UNI in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program report average early career income of $29,615.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from University of Northern Iowa

3
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
1,002 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$28,831 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Des Moines Area Community College if you want to pursue a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Located in the large suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #501 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means DMACC is a great college overall.

There were approximately 1002 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at DMACC in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients usually earn around $28,831 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Des Moines Area Community College

4
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
391 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$28,250 Median Starting Salary

Iowa Western Community College is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities. Located in the small city of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1003 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa Western Community College is a great college overall.

There were approximately 391 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Iowa Western Community College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program report average early career earnings of $28,250.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Iowa Western Community College

5
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
412 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$22,902 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1041 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa Central Community College is a great college overall.

There were roughly 412 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Iowa Central Community College in the most recent data year. After graduation, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients generally earn an average of $22,902 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Iowa Central Community College

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
70 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$34,790 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #75 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Iowa State is a great university overall.

There were approximately 70 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State in the most recent year we have data available. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities degree recipients from Iowa State University get an earnings boost of around $7,108 above the average earnings of liberal arts / sciences & humanities majors.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Iowa State University

7
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
152 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
5.3% Growth in Graduates

Marshalltown Community College is a small public college located in the rural area of Marshalltown. This college ranks 30th out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were roughly 152 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Marshalltown Community College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program earn about $25,901 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Marshalltown Community College

8
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
96 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$25,496 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1303 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Western Iowa Tech Community College is a great college overall.

There were approximately 96 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Western Iowa Tech Community College in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program state that they receive average early career income of $25,496.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Western Iowa Tech Community College

9
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
254 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$27,114 Median Starting Salary

Hawkeye Community College is a small public college located in the city of Waterloo. This college ranks 34th out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 254 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Hawkeye Community College in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program report average early career wages of $27,114.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Hawkeye Community College

10
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
114 Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Degrees Awarded
$22,559 Median Starting Salary

Located in the town of Creston, SWCC is a public college with a small student population. This college ranks 38th out of 40 colleges for overall quality in the state of Iowa.

There were approximately 114 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at SWCC in the most recent data year. After graduation, liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree recipients generally earn about $22,559 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Southwestern Community College

Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Kansas386,337
Minnesota386,252
South Dakota38222
Missouri388,234
Nebraska361,607
North Dakota35953

View All Rankings >

Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Majors to Study

MajorAnnual Graduates
Liberal Arts General Studies5,228

View All Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options