Most selective colleges in Iowa
26 colleges ranked by acceptance rate
These 26 most selective colleges in Iowa, ranked by acceptance rate, run from 13% at Grinnell College to 99% at Wartburg College. 3 are public and 23 are private.
| # | College | Type | Acceptance | Avg SAT | Net price / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA | Private | 13% | 1,486 | $15,608 |
| 2 | William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA | Private | 57% | 996 | $22,115 |
| 3 | Drake University Des Moines, IA | Private | 64% | 1,288 | $30,042 |
| 4 | Clarke University Dubuque, IA | Private | 68% | 1,060 | $20,068 |
| 5 | Morningside University Sioux City, IA | Private | 71% | 910 | $23,169 |
| 6 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA | Private | 71% | 1,206 | $19,155 |
| 7 | Dordt University Sioux Center, IA | Private | 71% | 1,175 | $25,383 |
| 8 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA | Private | 72% | 1,090 | $18,321 |
| 9 | Waldorf University Forest City, IA | Private | 73% | — | $21,683 |
| 10 | Luther College Decorah, IA | Private | 73% | 1,238 | $25,635 |
| 11 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA | Private | 73% | — | $22,750 |
| 12 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA | Private | 79% | 1,120 | $23,435 |
| 13 | Central College Pella, IA | Private | 79% | 1,115 | $22,353 |
| 14 | Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA | Private | 81% | 1,246 | $25,079 |
| 15 | Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA | Private | 83% | — | $15,975 |
| 16 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | Public | 85% | 1,220 | $21,398 |
| 17 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA | Private | 87% | 1,119 | $23,250 |
| 18 | Northwestern College Orange City, IA | Private | 87% | — | $23,519 |
| 19 | Simpson College Indianola, IA | Private | 89% | 1,410 | $22,231 |
| 20 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | Public | 89% | 1,199 | $18,165 |
| 21 | Loras College Dubuque, IA | Private | 92% | — | $21,057 |
| 22 | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA | Private | 93% | 929 | $23,172 |
| 23 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA | Public | 94% | 1,120 | $14,609 |
| 24 | Grand View University Des Moines, IA | Private | 98% | — | $21,616 |
| 25 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA | Private | 99% | — | $23,417 |
| 26 | Wartburg College Waverly, IA | Private | 99% | 1,136 | $22,604 |
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