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Most affordable private colleges in Iowa
27 private colleges in Iowa report net price data, ranging from $12,771 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $23,321. Iowa's private colleges run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.
Median net price in Iowa
$23,321
National median for private colleges
$17,157
private colleges reporting in Iowa
27
The most affordable private colleges in Iowa, ranked by net price
Net price
$18,288
Receive grant aid
100%
What makes a school affordable here
In Iowa, the most affordable private colleges share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At St Luke's College, the most affordable on this list, 100% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.
Affordable colleges in Iowa, other types
Affordable private colleges in other states
Find your personalized cost
National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.
Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →