2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education
20
Ranked Colleges
3,517
Degrees Awarded
$29,700
Avg Cost*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
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” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education”.
Top 20 Best Education Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 395 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, 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 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. Iowa 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-iowa/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 447 students in 2020-2021.
Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Iowa State University supports 31,822 students, and 814 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 388 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,933. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa State University 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Northern Iowa. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education. UNI is a public institution located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 674 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UNI also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 251 of the 9,507 students enrolled at University of Northern Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,033. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Northern Iowa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 full report on veteran student life at University of Northern Iowa]](/colleges/university-of-northern-iowa/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Drake University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education. This small school is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and it awarded 267 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
Drake did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 4,774 students enrolled at Drake University, 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 tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,780. On top of their other funding sources, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Drake University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 Drake]](/colleges/drake-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Ambrose University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. St. Ambrose University is a small school located in Davenport, Iowa that handed out 41 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying education list, St. Ambrose University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,003 students enrolled at St. Ambrose University, 88 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 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. During this same period, 17 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 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…
With a ranking of #6, Dordt University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Dordt is located in Sioux Center, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 133 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
Dordt also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 1,662 students enrolled at Dordt, 13 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,218. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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 full report on veteran student life at Dordt University]](/colleges/dordt-college/student-life/veterans/)
Loras College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 50 students in 2020-2021.
Loras not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Loras College 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 received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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…
University of Dubuque did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking, coming in at #8. University of Dubuque is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dubuque, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying education list, UD has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UD 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. To help with additional expenses, 30 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Mount Mercy University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying education list, Mount Mercy has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 58 of the 1,705 students enrolled at Mount Mercy University were GI Bill® students, of which 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. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mount Mercy University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Mount Mercy University Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #10, Grand View University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Grand View University is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
Grand View University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 1,874 students enrolled at Grand View University, 86 were 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. To help with additional expenses, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Grand View University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
With a ranking of #11, Clarke University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Clarke University is a small school located in Dubuque, Iowa that handed out 23 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Clarke, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 18 of the 855 students enrolled at Clarke University were GI Bill® students, of which 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $22,673. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 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 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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…
With a ranking of #12, Simpson College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Indianola, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.
Simpson College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 1,267 students enrolled at Simpson College, 35 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,481. During this same period, 7 students received funds through 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%.
Full Simpson College Veteran Student Life Report
Upper Iowa University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Fayette, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 182 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
UIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 3,610 students enrolled at Upper Iowa University were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,399. To help with additional expenses, 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…
Buena Vista University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking. Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 246 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying education list, BVU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 1,863 students enrolled at BVU were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,992. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 BVU Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #15, Wartburg College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Located in Waverly, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 36 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
Wartburg also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 1,563 students enrolled at Wartburg, 21 were 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. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through 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 Wartburg College]](/colleges/wartburg-college/student-life/veterans/)
Morningside College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 314 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Morningside, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 51 of the 2,411 students enrolled at Morningside College were GI Bill® students, of which 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,284. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
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 Morningside Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #17, Waldorf University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education list. Waldorf University is located in Forest City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
Waldorf not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Waldorf supports 3,025 students, and 398 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 319 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,621. To help with additional expenses, 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…
William Penn University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking. Located in Oskaloosa, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
William Penn University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 1,350 students enrolled at William Penn University were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. 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.
[Read full report on veteran student life at William Penn University]](/colleges/william-penn-university/student-life/veterans/)
Graceland University - Lamoni came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking. Located in Lamoni, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 42 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying education list, Graceland Lamoni has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,517 students enrolled at Graceland Lamoni, 17 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,416. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Graceland Lamoni does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Graceland University - Lamoni]](/colleges/graceland-university-lamoni/student-life/veterans/)
Northwestern College landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Education ranking. Orange City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 182 students in 2020-2021.
NWC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Northwestern College supports 1,496 students, and 26 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 $14,260. To help with additional expenses, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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…
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