Universities in Iowa
Iowa has 75 postsecondary institutions reporting to the U.S. Department of Education: 19 public, 35 private nonprofit, 21 for-profit, together enrolling about 134,174 undergraduates (2024-25 data). Each links to a full financial-health and student-outcomes profile.
| # | Institution | Sector | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State UniversityAmes · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 25,367 |
| 2 | University of IowaIowa City · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 22,264 |
| 3 | Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny · Mixed Associate Large | Public | 10,446 |
| 4 | Kirkwood Community CollegeCedar Rapids · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 7,591 |
| 5 | University of Northern IowaCedar Falls · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 7,529 |
| 6 | Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictDavenport · Mixed Associate Medium | Public | 3,520 |
| 7 | Iowa Central Community CollegeFort Dodge · Mixed Associate Medium | Public | 3,103 |
| 8 | Iowa Western Community CollegeCouncil Bluffs · Mixed Associate Medium | Public | 2,916 |
| 9 | Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeSioux City · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 2,647 |
| 10 | Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 2,626 |
| 11 | Drake UniversityDes Moines · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium | Private | 2,543 |
| 12 | Upper Iowa UniversityFayette · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Private | 1,994 |
| 13 | Saint Ambrose UniversityDavenport · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 1,916 |
| 14 | Waldorf UniversityForest City · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Private | 1,827 |
| 15 | Grinnell CollegeGrinnell · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,729 |
| 16 | Southeastern Community CollegeWest Burlington · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 1,699 |
| 17 | Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 1,697 |
| 18 | Dordt UniversitySioux Center · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,597 |
| 19 | Indian Hills Community CollegeOttumwa · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 1,495 |
| 20 | Grand View UniversityDes Moines · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,486 |
| 21 | Wartburg CollegeWaverly · Mixed Baccalaureate | Private | 1,452 |
| 22 | University of DubuqueDubuque · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,440 |
| 23 | Luther CollegeDecorah · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,379 |
| 24 | Buena Vista UniversityStorm Lake · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,366 |
| 25 | North Iowa Area Community CollegeMason City · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 1,320 |
| 26 | William Penn UniversityOskaloosa · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,301 |
| 27 | Simpson CollegeIndianola · Mixed Baccalaureate | Private | 1,227 |
| 28 | Northwestern CollegeOrange City · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,175 |
| 29 | Coe CollegeCedar Rapids · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,164 |
| 30 | Morningside UniversitySioux City · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,163 |
| 31 | Mount Mercy UniversityCedar Rapids · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,107 |
| 32 | Cornell CollegeMount Vernon · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,086 |
| 33 | Loras CollegeDubuque · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,083 |
| 34 | Central CollegePella · Mixed Baccalaureate | Private | 1,070 |
| 35 | Iowa Lakes Community CollegeEstherville · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 941 |
| 36 | Maharishi International UniversityFairfield · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 922 |
| 37 | Mercy College of Health SciencesDes Moines · Special Focus: Nursing | Private | 867 |
| 38 | Northwest Iowa Community CollegeSheldon · Professions-focused Associate Small | Public | 864 |
| 39 | Graceland University-LamoniLamoni · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 798 |
| 40 | Marshalltown Community CollegeMarshalltown · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 788 |
| 41 | Clarke UniversityDubuque · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 742 |
| 42 | Southwestern Community CollegeCreston · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 729 |
| 43 | Briar Cliff UniversitySioux City · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 624 |
| 44 | Ellsworth Community CollegeIowa Falls · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 499 |
| 45 | Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological SeminaryAnkeny · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | 405 |
| 46 | Allen CollegeWaterloo · Special Focus: Nursing | Private | 261 |
| 47 | Aveda Institute-Des MoinesWest Des Moines · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 244 |
| 48 | Emmaus Bible CollegeDubuque · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | 224 |
| 49 | PCI Academy-AmesAmes · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 176 |
| 50 | St Luke's CollegeSioux City · Special Focus: Nursing | Private | 167 |
| 51 | Capri College-DubuqueDubuque · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 165 |
| 52 | La James International College-JohnstonJohnston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 141 |
| 53 | Capri College-DavenportDavenport · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 135 |
| 54 | Capri College-Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 129 |
| 55 | La James International College-DavenportDavenport · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 127 |
| 56 | PCI Academy-Iowa CityIowa City · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 113 |
| 57 | The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar FallsCedar Falls · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 91 |
| 58 | Iowa School of Beauty-Des MoinesDes Moines · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 74 |
| 59 | Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux CitySioux City · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 67 |
| 60 | SOHO Hair AcademyCouncil Bluffs · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 66 |
| 61 | Divine Word CollegeEpworth · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | 64 |
| 62 | La James College of Hairstyling and CosmetologyMason City · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 56 |
| 63 | La James International College-Cedar FallsCedar Falls · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 54 |
| 64 | Body Wisdom Massage Therapy SchoolUrbandale · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 45 |
| 65 | Palmer College of ChiropracticDavenport · Special Focus: Other Health Professions | Private | 43 |
| 66 | Ross College-DavenportDavenport · Special Focus: Applied and Career Studies | Private for-profit | 42 |
| 67 | Orion Technical CollegeDavenport · Special Focus: Applied and Career Studies | Private for-profit | 41 |
| 68 | Carlson College of Massage TherapyAnamosa · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 39 |
| 69 | American Hair AcademyMt. Pleasant · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 25 |
| 70 | Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit LakeSpirit Lake · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 22 |
| 71 | La James International College-Ft DodgeFort Dodge · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 22 |
| 72 | Mercy-St Luke's School of Radiologic TechnologyCedar Rapids · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 21 |
| 73 | UnityPoint Health-Des Moines School of Radiologic TechnologyDes Moines · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 16 |
| 74 | Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical CenterWest Des Moines · Special Focus: Medical Schools and Centers | Private | – |
| 75 | Wartburg Theological SeminaryDubuque · Special Focus: Theological Studies | Private | – |
This is a directory, not a ranking, listed by undergraduate enrollment. Counts and figures come from the most recent College Scorecard & IPEDS release (2024-25), which lags the current academic year by 2–3 years. Open each institution’s profile for financial health, outcomes and peer benchmarks.
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Frequently asked
How many colleges and universities are in Iowa?
75 postsecondary institutions in Iowa report to the U.S. Department of Education: 19 public, 35 private nonprofit, 21 for-profit. Together they enroll about 134,174 undergraduates (2024-25 data).
Which Iowa college enrolls the most undergraduates?
Iowa State University in Ames, with about 25,367 undergraduates (2024-25 data). It is the largest of the 75 institutions listed on this page by undergraduate enrollment.
Where does this Iowa college data come from?
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS collections, most recent release (2024-25). Every figure is federal, published and free to check. Nothing on this page is estimated or AI-generated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent release, 2024-25). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.