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2023 Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Iowa

20 Ranked Colleges
1,960 Degrees Awarded
$35,972 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 327,871 education students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $46,202 and had an average of $24,437 in loans still to pay off.

Across Iowa, there were 3,517 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,708 and $32,390 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,960 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,980 and $30,839 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent education programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the education program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s”.

Top 20 Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Iowa

1
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 208 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.According to our most recent data, University of Iowa supports 30,318 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s. UNI is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 537 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

UNI also took the #1 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 251 of the 9,507 students enrolled at UNI were GI Bill® students, of which 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,033. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNI offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UNI Veteran Student Life Report

3

Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 312 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Of the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University, 814 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa State University Veteran Student Life Report

4

Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Ambrose University landed the #4 spot on the list. Saint Ambrose University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Davenport, Iowa. It awarded 37 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Ambrose University also took the #8 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 88 of the 3,003 students enrolled at St. Ambrose University were GI Bill® students, of which 42 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,054. To help with additional expenses, 17 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. St. Ambrose University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read More…

5
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Drake University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 43 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Drake, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 4,774 students enrolled at Drake, 100 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 61 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,780. On top of their other funding sources, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Drake Veteran Student Life Report

6
Dordt crest
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Dordt University is located in Sioux Center, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

Dordt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Of the 1,662 students enrolled at Dordt, 13 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,218. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

7
Loras crest
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Loras is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dubuque, Iowa. It awarded 29 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Loras also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #10.According to our most recent data, Loras supports 1,404 students, and 34 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 15 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,495. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loras does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Loras Veteran Student Life Report

8

University of Dubuque landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Dubuque is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Dubuque, Iowa. It awarded 27 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

UD also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #18.According to our most recent data, University of Dubuque supports 2,180 students, and 115 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 74 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,817. During this same period, 30 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Dubuque offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

9
Mount Mercy crest
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2020-2021.

Mount Mercy also took the #14 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Of the 1,705 students enrolled at Mount Mercy University, 58 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 33 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,227. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

10
Grand View University crest
Grand View University
Des Moines, Iowa

With a ranking of #10, Grand View University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. Grand View University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Grand View University also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #17.Among the 1,874 students enrolled at Grand View University, 86 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 38 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,256. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Grand View University]](/colleges/grand-view-university/student-life/veterans/)

11
Briar Cliff crest
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, Iowa

With a ranking of #11, Briar Cliff University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. Briar Cliff University is a small school located in Sioux City, Iowa that handed out 19 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Briar Cliff not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Our most recent data shows that 31 of the 1,076 students enrolled at Briar Cliff University were GI Bill® students, of which 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,269. To help with additional expenses, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Briar Cliff University Veteran Student Life Report

12

Upper Iowa University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Upper Iowa University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayette, Iowa. It awarded 139 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 3,610 students enrolled at UIU were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,399. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UIU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

13
BVU crest
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, Iowa

Buena Vista University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Storm Lake, Iowa, and it awarded 103 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our iowa bachelor’s degree vets studying education list, BVU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 1,863 students enrolled at Buena Vista University were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,992. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Buena Vista University]](/colleges/buena-vista-university/student-life/veterans/)

14
Wartburg crest
Wartburg College
Waverly, Iowa

Wartburg College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Wartburg College is located in Waverly, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wartburg, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 1,563 students enrolled at Wartburg College, 21 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,932. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Wartburg College offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

15
Simpson College crest
Simpson College
Indianola, Iowa

Simpson College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Indianola, Iowa. It awarded 20 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Simpson College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.According to our most recent data, Simpson College supports 1,267 students, and 35 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 18 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,481. To help with additional expenses, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Simpson College]](/colleges/simpson-college/student-life/veterans/)

16
Morningside crest
Morningside College
Sioux City, Iowa

With a ranking of #16, Morningside College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Sioux City, Iowa, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Morningside also took the #13 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 2,411 students enrolled at Morningside, 51 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,284. In addition to receiving other benefits, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Morningside]](/colleges/morningside-college/student-life/veterans/)

17
Luther crest
Luther College
Decorah, Iowa

Luther College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s ranking. Luther is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decorah, Iowa. It awarded 17 bachelors’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Luther not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Our most recent data shows that 19 of the 1,802 students enrolled at Luther were GI Bill® students, of which 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,670. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

18

With a ranking of #18, William Penn University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. William Penn University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oskaloosa, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

William Penn University also took the #20 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.According to our most recent data, William Penn University supports 1,350 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full William Penn University Veteran Student Life Report

19

Graceland University - Lamoni ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. Graceland Lamoni is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lamoni, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Graceland Lamoni, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 1,517 students enrolled at Graceland Lamoni, 17 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,416. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Graceland University - Lamoni Veteran Student Life Report

20
NWC crest
Northwestern College
Orange City, Iowa

Northwestern College ranked #20 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education for a Bachelor’s list. NWC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Orange City, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

NWC also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #5.Of the 1,496 students enrolled at NWC, 26 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,260. During this same period, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Northwestern College Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

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