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	7400	90800	0.9186	1,788	1462	0.1451	#1 #1 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Typical Net Price $7,400 • 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	13000	42400	0.6942	197	1125	0.977	#2 #2 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $13,000 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $42,400 % Savings 69% Undergraduates 197 Est. Median SAT 1,125 Acceptance Rate 97.7 %
3	Buena Vista University	16100	59100	0.7282	810	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 810 Est. Median SAT 1,124 Acceptance Rate 77.6 %
3	Graceland University-Lamoni	16100	46400	0.6535	802	1030	0.8083	#3 #3 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA Typical Net Price $16,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $46,400 % Savings 65% Undergraduates 802 Est. Median SAT 1,030 Acceptance Rate 80.8 %
5	Coe College	16700	76500	0.7813	1,195	1207	0.6404	#5 #5 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Typical Net Price $16,700 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $76,500 % Savings 78% Undergraduates 1,195 Est. Median SAT 1,207 Acceptance Rate 64.0 %
6	Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary	17500	44500	0.6069	518	1090	0.4968	#6 #6 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, IA Typical Net Price $17,500 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $44,500 % Savings 61% Undergraduates 518 Est. Median SAT 1,090 Acceptance Rate 49.7 %
7	Cornell College	17600	73600	0.7606	1,085	1243	0.8066	#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 1,085 Est. Median SAT 1,243 Acceptance Rate 80.7 %
8	Loras College	17900	58400	0.6929	1,169	1110	0.1854	#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 1,169 Est. Median SAT 1,110 Acceptance Rate 18.5 %
9	Simpson College	18100	59400	0.6955	1,140	1430	0.8888	#9 #9 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Simpson College Indianola, IA Typical Net Price $18,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $59,400 % Savings 70% Undergraduates 1,140 Est. Median SAT 1,430 Acceptance Rate 88.9 %
10	Wartburg College	19900	46900	0.5752	1,454	1142	0.9941	#10 #10 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 1,454 Est. Median SAT 1,142 Acceptance Rate 99.4 %
11	Grand View University	20000	49900	0.5985	1,483	1035	0.9843	#11 #11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Grand View University Des Moines, IA Typical Net Price $20,000 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $49,900 % Savings 60% Undergraduates 1,483 Est. Median SAT 1,035 Acceptance Rate 98.4 %
11	University of Northern Iowa	20000	24000	0.1686	7,716	1115	0.8713	#11 #11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Typical Net Price $20,000 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $24,000 % Savings 17% Undergraduates 7,716 Est. Median SAT 1,115 Acceptance Rate 87.1 %
13	Iowa State University	20100	24200	0.1691	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	Central College	20500	36500	0.4383	1,084	1140	0.8617	#14 #14 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Central College Pella, IA Typical Net Price $20,500 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $36,500 % Savings 44% Undergraduates 1,084 Est. Median SAT 1,140 Acceptance Rate 86.2 %
15	Saint Ambrose University	20800	54900	0.6209	1,939	1085	0.7733	#15 #15 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Typical Net Price $20,800 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $54,900 % Savings 62% Undergraduates 1,939 Est. Median SAT 1,085 Acceptance Rate 77.3 %
16	University of Dubuque	21200	74700	0.7169	1,417	1074	0.8863	#16 #16 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $21,200 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $74,700 % Savings 72% Undergraduates 1,417 Est. Median SAT 1,074 Acceptance Rate 88.6 %
17	Luther College	21500	71900	0.7008	1,384	1226	0.8402	#17 #17 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 84.0 %
18	Morningside University	21900	79300	0.7236	1,177	922	0.7057	#18 #18 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Morningside University Sioux City, IA Typical Net Price $21,900 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $79,300 % Savings 72% Undergraduates 1,177 Est. Median SAT 922 Acceptance Rate 70.6 %
19	Upper Iowa University	22200	41700	0.4681	2,504	965	0.9338	#19 #19 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 2,504 Est. Median SAT 965 Acceptance Rate 93.4 %
19	William Penn University	22200	48000	0.5382	1,348	1000	0.5188	#19 #19 Middle Class Affordability Rankings William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Typical Net Price $22,200 • 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 %
21	Maharishi International University	22700	37800	0.4006	777	1089	0.969	#21 #21 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA Typical Net Price $22,700 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $37,800 % Savings 40% Undergraduates 777 Est. Median SAT 1,089 Acceptance Rate 96.9 %
22	Briar Cliff University	23100	67800	0.6591	737	1075	0.6169	#22 #22 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Typical Net Price $23,100 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $67,800 % Savings 66% Undergraduates 737 Est. Median SAT 1,075 Acceptance Rate 61.7 %
23	Northwestern College	23700	68400	0.653	1,187	1159	0.8035	#23 #23 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Northwestern College Orange City, IA Typical Net Price $23,700 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $68,400 % Savings 65% Undergraduates 1,187 Est. Median SAT 1,159 Acceptance Rate 80.4 %
24	Clarke University	23800	56600	0.579	871	1050	0.6816	#24 #24 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Clarke University Dubuque, IA Typical Net Price $23,800 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $56,600 % Savings 58% Undergraduates 871 Est. Median SAT 1,050 Acceptance Rate 68.2 %
25	Dordt University	25300	51400	0.5088	1,695	1170	0.7116	#25 #25 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Typical Net Price $25,300 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $51,400 % Savings 51% Undergraduates 1,695 Est. Median SAT 1,170 Acceptance Rate 71.2 %
26	Drake University	28500	68500	0.5846	2,585	1226	0.6385	#26 #26 Middle Class Affordability Rankings Drake University Des Moines, IA Typical Net Price $28,500 • Sign in to see your Estimated Net Price Sticker Price $68,500 % Savings 58% Undergraduates 2,585 Est. Median SAT 1,226 Acceptance Rate 63.9 %
27	University of Iowa	29100	31100	0.0659	22,738	1208	0.8362	#27 #27 Middle Class Affordability Rankings University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Typical Net Price $29,100 • 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 %
28	Mount Mercy University	31600	61200	0.4829	1,185	1110	0.7876	#28 #28 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 1,185 Est. Median SAT 1,110 Acceptance Rate 78.8 %