2026 Best Economics Schools in Iowa
Economics 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.
College Factual analyzed 16 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best economics schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Economics 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 economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Economics
Grinnell College tops our 2026 ranking of the best economics schools. Set in the town of Grinnell, Grinnell College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 88%. There were roughly 38 economics students who graduated with this degree at Grinnell College in the most recent data year. Economics graduates of Grinnell College earn a median of $46,791 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $16,950.
See the full economics program report for Grinnell College
University Of Iowa is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in economics, ranking #2. Set in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a very large public institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 79 economics degrees were awarded at University Of Iowa in the most recent year. Economics graduates of University Of Iowa earn a median of $50,223 early in their careers. University Of Iowa graduates carry a median of $22,407 in student loans.
Get the full economics details for University Of Iowa
Students looking for a strong economics program will find one at Iowa State University, which ranked #3. This very large public university is located in the city of Ames. Iowa State University graduates 75% of students within six years. About 26 economics degrees were awarded at Iowa State University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Iowa State University generally make around $57,619. Students borrow a median of $23,414 to complete this degree.
Read more about the economics program at Iowa State University
Drake University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in economics, ranking #4. Located in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 73% of students complete a degree within six years here. Drake University awarded about 11 economics degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their economics degree from Drake University earn around $56,228 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,273.
See the full economics program report for 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 · 16 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.
