Best ROI colleges in Iowa
Ten years of reported earnings premium, measured against four years of net price plus earnings forgone while studying.
27eligible colleges$45kcomparison earnings
LOWER10-YEAR ROIHIGHER
1Iowa State UniversityAmes, IA · Public
−21%−$52,596
2University of IowaIowa City, IA · Public
−21%−$57,024
3Drake UniversityDes Moines, IA · Private nonprofit
−23%−$69,178
4Waldorf UniversityForest City, IA · Private nonprofit
−24%−$61,092
5Saint Ambrose UniversityDavenport, IA · Private nonprofit
−34%−$94,214
6Mount Mercy UniversityCedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofit
−37%−$95,682
7William Penn UniversityOskaloosa, IA · Private nonprofit
−39%−$106,264
8Mercy College of Health SciencesDes Moines, IA · Private nonprofit
−39%−$113,416
9Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IA · Private nonprofit
−45%−$113,842
10Morningside UniversitySioux City, IA · Private nonprofit
−46%−$141,930
11Briar Cliff UniversitySioux City, IA · Private nonprofit
−52%−$144,458
12University of DubuqueDubuque, IA · Private nonprofit
−55%−$151,324
13Grand View UniversityDes Moines, IA · Private nonprofit
−59%−$157,046
14Upper Iowa UniversityFayette, IA · Private nonprofit
−60%−$157,628
15Loras CollegeDubuque, IA · Private nonprofit
−61%−$160,864
16Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA · Private nonprofit
−63%−$167,764
17Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofit
−63%−$159,810
18Luther CollegeDecorah, IA · Private nonprofit
−65%−$178,218
19Clarke UniversityDubuque, IA · Private nonprofit
−67%−$185,546
20University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IA · Public
−70%−$171,024
21Wartburg CollegeWaverly, IA · Private nonprofit
−70%−$219,492
22Graceland University-LamoniLamoni, IA · Private nonprofit
−73%−$185,636
23Northwestern CollegeOrange City, IA · Private nonprofit
−74%−$209,538
24Dordt UniversitySioux Center, IA · Private nonprofit
−75%−$213,048
25Central CollegePella, IA · Private nonprofit
−77%−$209,658
26Buena Vista UniversityStorm Lake, IA · Private nonprofit
−83%−$211,464
27Cornell CollegeMount Vernon, IA · Private nonprofit
−89%−$243,706
Eligibility requires a currently operating college, a reported bachelor’s-level program, at least 500 students, observed earnings and annual average net price of at least $1,000. State rank is relative only to eligible institutions in Iowa.
Best ROI colleges by state
Every state page uses the same data-quality screen and economic-investment formula as the national ranking.
ALAlabamaAKAlaskaAZArizonaARArkansasCACaliforniaCOColoradoCTConnecticutDEDelawareDCDistrict of ColumbiaFLFloridaGAGeorgiaHIHawaiiIDIdahoILIllinoisINIndianaIAIowaKSKansasKYKentuckyLALouisianaMEMaineMDMarylandMAMassachusettsMIMichiganMNMinnesotaMSMississippiMOMissouriMTMontanaNENebraskaNVNevadaNHNew HampshireNJNew JerseyNMNew MexicoNYNew YorkNCNorth CarolinaNDNorth DakotaOHOhioOKOklahomaOROregonPAPennsylvaniaRIRhode IslandSCSouth CarolinaSDSouth DakotaTNTennesseeTXTexasUTUtahVTVermontVAVirginiaWAWashingtonWVWest VirginiaWIWisconsinWYWyoming