2023 best colleges in Iowa

Students will find both high-quality universities and liberal arts colleges within the Iowa higher education scene, including Iowa State University, home to an on-campus Department of Energy research laboratory. Grinnell College, recognized as a Hidden Ivy, ranks among the Top 25 liberal arts colleges in the country and provides funding for students participating in unpaid or underpaid summer internships. A pioneer in the field of chiropractic medicine, Palmer College of Chiropractic was established in 1897 as the first school of its kind worldwide.

Read more
Filters

7 Results

  • Iowa
  • Humanities & Social Sciences
  • Political Science
  • Clear all filters
Sort By
Net cost
Payback
Earnings
EarningsPlus
Rankings
Ranking methodology
#1 in Iowa | #124 in Political Science nationally

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa

Economic score: 3.67

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $25,182

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.2 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $49,481

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $6,203

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 11%
Graduation rate: 89%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#2 in Iowa | #153 in Political Science nationally

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

Economic score: 4.09

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $19,401

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.3 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $46,097

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $2,422

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 86%
Graduation rate: 72%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#3 in Iowa | #159 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 4.17

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $16,002

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.2 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $43,490

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $742

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 91%
Graduation rate: 74%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#4 in Iowa | #188 in Political Science nationally
Economic score: 4.46

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $16,438

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 4.5 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $43,223

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: + $779

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 86%
Graduation rate: 69%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#5 in Iowa | #353 in Political Science nationally

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

Economic score: 8.79

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $25,538

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 7.9 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $38,953

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $4,148

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 76%
Graduation rate: 75%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#6 in Iowa | #448 in Political Science nationally

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Economic score: 25.83

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

View school
Net cost: $29,903

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 19.1 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $31,893

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $11,152

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 69%
Graduation rate: 81%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

Explore more schools without data

How long does it take me to repay a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Iowa?

Years

6.8 years

The cost of the average bachelor's degree in poli sci/government in Iowa is covered by the new earnings of graduates in 6.8 years.

How much do graduates with bachelor's degree in poli sci/government earn in Iowa?

Salary

$42,344

The median bachelor's degree in poli sci/government graduate earns $42,344 3 years after graduating.

How much does a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government cost in Iowa?

Net cost

$20,530

The average annual cost of a bachelor's degree in poli sci/government is $20,530. This is the net cost and considers only students that have received Title IV funds.