2026 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Iowa
Political Science & Government is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 28 schools to find the best for political science & government students.
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Best Schools for Political Science & Government in Iowa
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall political science & government education in Iowa.
Top Schools in Political Science & Government
No school ranked higher than Grinnell College this year for political science & government. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Grinnell. Grinnell College graduates 88% of students within six years. Grinnell College awarded about 35 political science & government degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Grinnell College generally make around $36,662. Typical student debt for the program is $17,500.
More information about a degree in political science & government from Grinnell College
University Of Iowa is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in political science & government, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. About 75% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 128 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at University Of Iowa in the most recent data year. Students who receive their political science & government degree from University Of Iowa earn around $39,133 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,250.
See the full political science & government program report for University Of Iowa
A rank of #3 makes Iowa State University one of the top schools for political science & government. Iowa State University is a very large public school located in the city of Ames. Iowa State University graduates 75% of students within six years. Iowa State University awarded about 51 political science & government degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their political science & government degree from Iowa State University earn around $30,715 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete this degree.
See the full political science & government program report for Iowa State University
Students looking for a strong political science & government program will find one at Simpson College, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Indianola, Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit institution. About 63% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Simpson College in the most recent data year. Political Science & Government graduates of Simpson College earn a median of $48,888 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $26,816.
See the full political science & government program report for Simpson College
Drake University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in political science & government, ranking #5. 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%. There were roughly 12 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Drake University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the political science & government program make about $56,228 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,138.
More information about a degree in political science & government from Drake University
University Of Northern Iowa landed the #6 spot for political science & government this year. Located in the city of Cedar Falls, University Of Northern Iowa is a large public university. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent data year. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of Northern Iowa earn a median of $37,875 early in their careers. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Read more about the political science & government program at University Of Northern Iowa
More Political Science & Government Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 28 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.
