
2021 Best Colleges in Iowa by Salary Score
Our list of the best Iowa universities ranked by Salary Score provides students with a clear picture of how each school stacks up against universities across the country in terms of alumni salary by major for a bachelor's degree. To determine Salary Score, we looked at median alumni earnings by major at each college and compared them to salaries for the same majors at other schools. A higher score indicates that a school's alumni tend to earn higher salaries in comparison to those in the same field of study at other universities. Iowa has a lower cost of living than most states, so alumni who find employment in-state may have lower salaries that are in line with lower living expenses. However, even with a lower cost of living Iowa's top 10 schools for alumni salary have higher Salary Scores than the median for all colleges in the United States.
To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. This list includes all eligible schools in Iowa. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.
Rank | School | Annual Tuition | Salary Score |
---|---|---|---|
Simpson College | $40,666 | 76.11 | |
Drake University | $42,840 | 75.80 | |
Iowa State University | $9,320 | 68.79 | |
Coe College | $45,580 | 62.97 | |
University of Northern Iowa | $8,938 | 62.13 | |
University of Iowa | $9,606 | 61.64 | |
Wartburg College | $43,930 | 58.36 | |
Upper Iowa University | $31,685 | 57.89 | |
Loras College | $35,218 | 57.73 | |
University of Dubuque | $35,570 | 50.88 | |
Grand View University | $30,508 | 49.96 | |
Luther College | $44,070 | 49.00 | |
Mount Mercy University | $33,862 | 48.17 | |
Grinnell College | $54,354 | 45.34 | |
Central College | $38,600 | 40.36 | |
Buena Vista University | $35,194 | 39.90 | |
Saint Ambrose University | $31,812 | 34.75 | |
Dordt University | $31,770 | 33.83 | |
Graceland University | $30,420 | 31.42 | |
Cornell College | $43,976 | 21.19 |