2026 Best History Schools in Iowa
History degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 35 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for history students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for History 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 history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in History
No school ranked higher than Grinnell College this year for history. Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Grinnell. Grinnell College graduates 88% of students within six years. There were roughly 14 history students who graduated with this degree at Grinnell College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their history degree from Grinnell College earn around $39,687 in the first couple years of their career. Grinnell College graduates carry a median of $17,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in history from Grinnell College
A rank of #2 makes University Of Iowa one of the top schools for history. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public university. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 70 history degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Graduates of the history program make about $33,117 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $25,978 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in history from University Of Iowa
Iowa State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 75%. There were roughly 64 history students who graduated with this degree at Iowa State University in the most recent data year. History graduates of Iowa State University earn a median of $41,294 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,007.
More information about a degree in history from Iowa State University
A rank of #4 makes University Of Northern Iowa one of the top schools for history. This large public university is located in the city of Cedar Falls. The six-year graduation rate is 68%. There were roughly 38 history students who graduated with this degree at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $27,569. Typical student debt for the program is $21,776.
Get the full history details for University Of Northern Iowa
Drake University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in history, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 73%. Drake University awarded about 10 history degrees in the most recent data year. History graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $22,273 to complete this degree.
Read more about the history program at Drake University
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 35 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.
