2026 Best Public Health Schools in Iowa
Public Health degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their public health programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools to find the best for public health students.
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Best Schools for Public Health in Iowa
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Public Health
University Of Iowa tops our 2026 ranking of the best public health schools. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 203 public health degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Graduates of the public health program make about $48,836 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,469.
More information about a degree in public health from University Of Iowa
University Of Northern Iowa is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in public health, ranking #2. Set in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public institution. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 20 public health degrees were awarded at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. Students borrow a median of $22,635 to complete this degree.
Read more about the public health program at University Of Northern Iowa
Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the rural area of West Des Moines, Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center is a small private not-for-profit university. About 22 public health degrees were awarded at Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center in the most recent year. Public Health graduates of Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center earn a median of $71,864 early in their careers.
Get the full public health details for Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center
Saint Ambrose University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best public health schools. Saint Ambrose University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Davenport. The six-year graduation rate is 61%. Saint Ambrose University awarded about 11 public health degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their public health degree from Saint Ambrose University earn around $57,252 in the first couple years of their career. Saint Ambrose University graduates carry a median of $27,528 in student loans.
See the full public health program report for Saint Ambrose University
A rank of #5 makes Mount Mercy University one of the top schools for public health. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy University is a small private not-for-profit university. Mount Mercy University graduates 58% of students within six years. There were roughly 13 public health students who graduated with this degree at Mount Mercy University in the most recent data year. Public Health graduates of Mount Mercy University earn a median of $50,431 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $27,709.
Get the full public health details for Mount Mercy University
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
