Middle Class Affordability Rankings™ - State of Iowa

Most Affordable Colleges for Iowa Residents for 2026

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Which colleges are most affordable for Iowa residents ? The answer may surprise you.
These rankings of the most affordable colleges for Iowa residents are based on the estimated net price for a "typical" middle class family living in the state of Iowa.
Note: Net price is the actual cost of the school paid by the student and family, after factoring in merit and grant aid from the college federal programs and work study.The net prices displayed in these rankings are College Raptor's estimates.

“Typical” middle class family values used in the Net Price estimates on this page are:

Number of people in family: 4
Number of students in college: 1
Total income: $80,000
Total assets: $50,000

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Iowa

Rank	Institution	Typical Net Price	Sticker Price	% Savings	Undergraduates	Est. Median SAT	Acceptance Rate	Save
1	Grinnell College	7300	90800	0.9197	1,788	1462	0.1451	#1 #1 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Typical Net Price $7,300 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $90,800 % Savings 92% Undergraduates 1,788 Est. Median SAT 1,462 Acceptance Rate 14.5 %
2	Emmaus Bible College	12200	36100	0.6631	234	1217	0.5979	#2 #2 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $12,200 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $36,100 % Savings 66% Undergraduates 234 Est. Median SAT 1,217 Acceptance Rate 59.8 %
3	Buena Vista University	16100	59100	0.7282	1,436	1124	0.7761	#3 #3 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Typical Net Price $16,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $59,100 % Savings 73% Undergraduates 1,436 Est. Median SAT 1,124 Acceptance Rate 77.6 %
4	Coe College	16600	76500	0.7824	1,195	1229	0.6404	#4 #4 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Typical Net Price $16,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $76,500 % Savings 78% Undergraduates 1,195 Est. Median SAT 1,229 Acceptance Rate 64.0 %
5	Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary	16900	37900	0.5546	551	1120	0.6752	#5 #5 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, IA Typical Net Price $16,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $37,900 % Savings 55% Undergraduates 551 Est. Median SAT 1,120 Acceptance Rate 67.5 %
5	Maharishi International University	16900	32200	0.4759	922	1089	0.957	#5 #5 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA Typical Net Price $16,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $32,200 % Savings 48% Undergraduates 922 Est. Median SAT 1,089 Acceptance Rate 95.7 %
7	Cornell College	17600	73600	0.7606	1,094	1243	0.799	#7 #7 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA Typical Net Price $17,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $73,600 % Savings 76% Undergraduates 1,094 Est. Median SAT 1,243 Acceptance Rate 79.9 %
8	Loras College	17900	58400	0.6929	1,123	1110	0.9986	#8 #8 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Loras College Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $17,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $58,400 % Savings 69% Undergraduates 1,123 Est. Median SAT 1,110 Acceptance Rate 99.9 %
9	Simpson College	18600	60100	0.6901	1,235	1430	0.8622	#9 #9 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Simpson College Indianola, IA Typical Net Price $18,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $60,100 % Savings 69% Undergraduates 1,235 Est. Median SAT 1,430 Acceptance Rate 86.2 %
10	Central College	18900	36600	0.4836	1,084	1145	0.8617	#10 #10 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Central College Pella, IA Typical Net Price $18,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $36,600 % Savings 48% Undergraduates 1,084 Est. Median SAT 1,145 Acceptance Rate 86.2 %
11	University of Northern Iowa	19900	24000	0.172	7,711	1129	0.9274	#11 #11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Typical Net Price $19,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $24,000 % Savings 17% Undergraduates 7,711 Est. Median SAT 1,129 Acceptance Rate 92.7 %
11	Wartburg College	19900	46900	0.5752	1,462	1174	0.7584	#11 #11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Wartburg College Waverly, IA Typical Net Price $19,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $46,900 % Savings 58% Undergraduates 1,462 Est. Median SAT 1,174 Acceptance Rate 75.8 %
13	Iowa State University	20100	24200	0.1724	25,628	1207	0.8866	#13 #13 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Iowa State University Ames, IA Typical Net Price $20,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $24,200 % Savings 17% Undergraduates 25,628 Est. Median SAT 1,207 Acceptance Rate 88.7 %
14	Graceland University-Lamoni	20800	36300	0.428	798	1030	0.8083	#14 #14 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA Typical Net Price $20,800 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $36,300 % Savings 43% Undergraduates 798 Est. Median SAT 1,030 Acceptance Rate 80.8 %
14	University of Dubuque	20800	59200	0.6486	1,440	1090	0.8863	#14 #14 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $20,800 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $59,200 % Savings 65% Undergraduates 1,440 Est. Median SAT 1,090 Acceptance Rate 88.6 %
16	Luther College	21500	71900	0.7016	1,384	1226	0.7154	#16 #16 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Luther College Decorah, IA Typical Net Price $21,500 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $71,900 % Savings 70% Undergraduates 1,384 Est. Median SAT 1,226 Acceptance Rate 71.5 %
17	William Penn University	22100	48000	0.5399	1,348	1000	0.5188	#17 #17 Middle Class Affordability Rankings William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Typical Net Price $22,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $48,000 % Savings 54% Undergraduates 1,348 Est. Median SAT 1,000 Acceptance Rate 51.9 %
18	Upper Iowa University	22200	41700	0.4681	3,054	1035	0.9646	#18 #18 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Typical Net Price $22,200 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $41,700 % Savings 47% Undergraduates 3,054 Est. Median SAT 1,035 Acceptance Rate 96.5 %
19	Saint Ambrose University	24300	54900	0.5571	1,939	1085	0.7733	#19 #19 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Typical Net Price $24,300 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $54,900 % Savings 56% Undergraduates 1,939 Est. Median SAT 1,085 Acceptance Rate 77.3 %
20	Clarke University	24600	56600	0.5649	815	1039	0.7183	#20 #20 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Clarke University Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $24,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $56,600 % Savings 56% Undergraduates 815 Est. Median SAT 1,039 Acceptance Rate 71.8 %
21	Briar Cliff University	26100	74300	0.6484	766	1050	0.5834	#21 #21 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Typical Net Price $26,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $74,300 % Savings 65% Undergraduates 766 Est. Median SAT 1,050 Acceptance Rate 58.3 %
22	Dordt University	26200	51400	0.4913	1,716	1205	0.6847	#22 #22 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Typical Net Price $26,200 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $51,400 % Savings 49% Undergraduates 1,716 Est. Median SAT 1,205 Acceptance Rate 68.5 %
23	Grand View University	26500	58100	0.5446	1,500	1020	0.9909	#23 #23 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Grand View University Des Moines, IA Typical Net Price $26,500 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $58,100 % Savings 54% Undergraduates 1,500 Est. Median SAT 1,020 Acceptance Rate 99.1 %
24	Drake University	26800	68500	0.6084	2,585	1259	0.6385	#24 #24 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Drake University Des Moines, IA Typical Net Price $26,800 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $68,500 % Savings 61% Undergraduates 2,585 Est. Median SAT 1,259 Acceptance Rate 63.9 %
25	Northwestern College	28600	56600	0.4955	1,184	1159	0.8036	#25 #25 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Northwestern College Orange City, IA Typical Net Price $28,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $56,600 % Savings 50% Undergraduates 1,184 Est. Median SAT 1,159 Acceptance Rate 80.4 %
26	University of Iowa	29000	31100	0.0685	22,738	1208	0.8362	#26 #26 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Typical Net Price $29,000 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $31,100 % Savings 7% Undergraduates 22,738 Est. Median SAT 1,208 Acceptance Rate 83.6 %
27	Mount Mercy University	31600	61200	0.4842	1,139	1110	0.8252	#27 #27 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Typical Net Price $31,600 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $61,200 % Savings 48% Undergraduates 1,139 Est. Median SAT 1,110 Acceptance Rate 82.5 %
28	Morningside University	33700	55000	0.3865	1,172	922	0.7104	#28 #28 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Morningside University Sioux City, IA Typical Net Price $33,700 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $55,000 % Savings 39% Undergraduates 1,172 Est. Median SAT 922 Acceptance Rate 71.0 %