by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the graduate school options in Iowa, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked 70 programs by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual evaluated graduate schools using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Not every student is looking for the same thing. Refine the list by location and field of study, or explore other rankings below. Start by picking a degree level:
Want to compare schools head to head? We built a tool called College Combat to weigh schools on the factors you care about most.
Explore the leading graduate schools below:
No school ranked higher than University Of Iowa this year in Iowa. This public school is set in Iowa City, IA. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $57,375. Typical student debt is $24,463.
Drake University came in at #2 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Iowa. Drake University is a private not-for-profit school based in Des Moines, IA. Drake University graduates 73% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $51,960 in tuition and fees. Graduates go on to earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $22,273.
The strong outcomes at Iowa State University earned it the #3 place in Iowa. This public school is set in Ames, IA. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $10,787 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,881. Iowa State University graduates report median early-career earnings of $53,900. Students borrow a median of $23,495 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Grinnell College one of the top graduate schools in Iowa. This private not-for-profit school is set in Grinnell, IA. About 88% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $68,196. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $38,888. Typical student debt is $17,154.
Out of the 70 graduate schools in Iowa in this year's ranking, University Of Northern Iowa landed the #5 spot. This public school is set in Cedar Falls, IA. University Of Northern Iowa graduates 68% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,936, with out-of-state students paying around $21,712. Graduates go on to earn a median of $46,054 early in their careers. The median student debt is $22,635.
Luther College placed #6 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Based in Decorah, IA, Luther College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 71% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $52,120 in tuition and fees. Luther College graduates report median early-career earnings of $42,426. Students borrow a median of $26,967 to complete a degree here.
Northwestern College Iowa placed #7 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Based in Orange City, IA, Northwestern College Iowa is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 66%. In-state tuition and fees run about $36,710. Graduates go on to earn a median of $54,845 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,415 to complete a degree here.
Simpson College placed #8 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Based in Indianola, IA, Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. In-state tuition and fees run about $47,656. Simpson College graduates report median early-career earnings of $48,888. Typical student debt is $26,816.
Wartburg College came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Wartburg College is a private not-for-profit school based in Waverly, IA. Wartburg College posts a six-year graduation rate of 64%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $26,250. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $46,918. Graduates carry a median of $26,793 in student loans.
Coe College placed #10 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Set in Cedar Rapids, IA, Coe College is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 66%. In-state tuition and fees average $54,666. Early-career graduates earn a median of $44,511. Graduates carry a median of $26,900 in student loans.
Saint Ambrose University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Based in Davenport, IA, Saint Ambrose University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 61% of students complete a degree within six years here. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,658. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $57,252. Typical student debt is $27,528.
Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Located in West Des Moines, IA, Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center is a private not-for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $78,524.
Central College landed the #13 spot in Iowa this year. Central College is a private not-for-profit school based in Pella, IA. The six-year graduation rate is 66%. In-state tuition and fees average $20,988. Median early-career earnings reach $39,953. Students borrow a median of $26,750 to complete a degree here.
Northwest Iowa Community College ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This public school is set in Sheldon, IA. In-state tuition and fees average $7,350, compared with $7,650 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $54,373. Graduates carry a median of $12,271 in student loans.
Dordt College landed the #15 spot in Iowa this year. Based in Sioux Center, IA, Dordt College is a private not-for-profit institution. Dordt College graduates 74% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $37,050 in tuition and fees. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $54,926. Typical student debt is $21,812.
Morningside College landed the #16 spot in Iowa this year. Located in Sioux City, IA, Morningside College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 50% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,519. Morningside College graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,988. Typical student debt is $27,281.
Allen College came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Set in Waterloo, IA, Allen College is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $24,787. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $82,049. Typical student debt is $31,000.
Loras College placed #18 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Based in Dubuque, IA, Loras College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $39,824. Loras College graduates report median early-career earnings of $43,117. Students borrow a median of $26,528 to complete a degree here.
Cornell College placed #19 among the best graduate schools in Iowa. Set in Mount Vernon, IA, Cornell College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 62% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,660. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $35,545. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete a degree here.
Palmer College Of Chiropractic Davenport came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Palmer College Of Chiropractic Davenport is a private not-for-profit school based in Davenport, IA. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,760. Graduates go on to earn a median of $49,093 early in their careers.
Mount Mercy University ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Cedar Rapids, IA, Mount Mercy University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 58% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $40,878. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $50,431. The median student debt is $27,709.
Grand View University landed the #22 spot in Iowa this year. Located in Des Moines, IA, Grand View University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 54% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $34,762. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $45,180. Students borrow a median of $26,941 to complete a degree here.
Buena Vista University did well this year, earning the #23 position. Based in Storm Lake, IA, Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit institution. About 62% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,798. Buena Vista University graduates report median early-career earnings of $44,780. Typical student debt is $29,317.
Western Iowa Tech Community College came in at #24 in this year's ranking. Based in Sioux City, IA, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,186, with out-of-state students paying around $5,330. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $35,742. The median student debt is $11,886.
Mercy College Of Health Sciences did well this year, earning the #25 position. Mercy College Of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit school based in Des Moines, IA. Mercy College Of Health Sciences posts a six-year graduation rate of 67%. In-state tuition and fees run about $17,664. Graduates go on to earn a median of $62,029 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $32,929 to complete a degree here.
These graduate schools rounded out the top of the list:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
