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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

$15,832

private colleges reporting in Iowa

27

The most affordable private colleges in Iowa, ranked by net price

1

St Luke's College

IA

Net price

$12,771

Receive grant aid

100%

2

Emmaus Bible College

IA

Net price

$14,393

Receive grant aid

100%

3

Graceland University-Lamoni

IA

Net price

$16,632

Receive grant aid

100%

4

Net price

$18,156

Receive grant aid

99%

5

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

IA

Net price

$18,288

Receive grant aid

100%

6

Maharishi International University

IA

Net price

$18,875

Receive grant aid

100%

7

Coe College

IA

Net price

$20,940

Receive grant aid

100%

8

Grand View University

IA

Net price

$22,296

Receive grant aid

100%

9

Loras College

IA

Net price

$22,338

Receive grant aid

100%

10

William Penn University

IA

Net price

$22,361

Receive grant aid

100%

11

Upper Iowa University

IA

Net price

$22,427

Receive grant aid

99%

12

Central College

IA

Net price

$22,499

Receive grant aid

100%

13

Net price

$23,292

Receive grant aid

98%

14

Wartburg College

IA

Net price

$23,321

Receive grant aid

97%

15

Morningside University

IA

Net price

$23,482

Receive grant aid

100%

16

Saint Ambrose University

IA

Net price

$23,578

Receive grant aid

100%

17

Simpson College

IA

Net price

$23,637

Receive grant aid

100%

18

Mount Mercy University

IA

Net price

$23,972

Receive grant aid

100%

19

Northwestern College

IA

Net price

$24,737

Receive grant aid

100%

20

Luther College

IA

Net price

$24,790

Receive grant aid

100%

21

Mercy College of Health Sciences

IA

Net price

$24,881

Receive grant aid

85%

22

University of Dubuque

IA

Net price

$25,216

Receive grant aid

100%

23

Clarke University

IA

Net price

$25,692

Receive grant aid

100%

24

Cornell College

IA

Net price

$25,850

Receive grant aid

100%

25

Dordt University

IA

Net price

$27,925

Receive grant aid

99%

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 →