Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in Iowa
Key facts
- #1 Drake University, IA: $72k
- #2 University of Iowa, IA: $65k
- #3 Iowa State University, IA: $63k
- 43 colleges ranked across Iowa
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $51k across the typical college in this list.
- 1Drake University IA$72k
- 2University of Iowa IA$65k
- 3Iowa State University IA$63k
- 4Grinnell College IA$63k
- 5Mercy College of Health Sciences IA$62k
- 6Mount Mercy University IA$61k
- 7Luther College IA$60k
- 8Saint Ambrose University IA$60k
- 9Simpson College IA$59k
- 10Loras College IA$58k
What stands out
- The top ten is tightly packed: Drake University leads on $72k, and #10 Loras College is at $58k.
- Iowa State University is the largest market in the top ten, with 25,367 students enrolled behind its figure.
- Colleges with fewer than 500 students enrolled are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Median earnings ten years after enrolling show what former students of a college go on to earn, as the Department of Education publishes it.
How to use it
Compare colleges within the same level and field, and read earnings next to completion rate and net price. Earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as the college.
The top 25
- 1
Drake University IA
$72k
- Completion rate
- 74%
- Net price a year
- $29,127
- Private nonprofit
- 2,543 students
Based on 2,543 students enrolled.
- 2
University of Iowa IA
$65k
- Completion rate
- 75%
- Net price a year
- $22,531
- Public
- 22,264 students
Based on 22,264 students enrolled.
- 3
Iowa State University IA
$63k
- Completion rate
- 75%
- Net price a year
- $18,589
- Public
- 25,367 students
Based on 25,367 students enrolled.
- 4
Grinnell College IA
$63k
- Completion rate
- 88%
- Net price a year
- $17,648
- Private nonprofit
- 1,729 students
Based on 1,729 students enrolled.
- 5
Mercy College of Health Sciences IA
$62k
- Completion rate
- 66%
- Net price a year
- $26,924
- Private nonprofit
- 867 students
Based on 867 students enrolled.
Mercy College of Health Sciences: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 6
Mount Mercy University IA
$61k
- Completion rate
- 58%
- Net price a year
- $20,168
- Private nonprofit
- 1,107 students
Based on 1,107 students enrolled.
- 7
Luther College IA
$60k
- Completion rate
- 71%
- Net price a year
- $23,097
- Private nonprofit
- 1,379 students
Based on 1,379 students enrolled.
- 8
Saint Ambrose University IA
$60k
- Completion rate
- 61%
- Net price a year
- $24,691
- Private nonprofit
- 1,916 students
Based on 1,916 students enrolled.
Saint Ambrose University: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 9
Simpson College IA
$59k
- Completion rate
- 63%
- Net price a year
- $21,936
- Private nonprofit
- 1,227 students
Based on 1,227 students enrolled.
- 10
Loras College IA
$58k
- Completion rate
- 68%
- Net price a year
- $20,716
- Private nonprofit
- 1,083 students
Based on 1,083 students enrolled.
- 11
Coe College IA
$57k
- Completion rate
- 66%
- Net price a year
- $18,745
- Private nonprofit
- 1,164 students
Based on 1,164 students enrolled.
- 12
Wartburg College IA
$56k
- Completion rate
- 64%
- Net price a year
- $32,908
- Private nonprofit
- 1,452 students
Based on 1,452 students enrolled.
- 13
Morningside University IA
$55k
- Completion rate
- 50%
- Net price a year
- $31,320
- Private nonprofit
- 1,163 students
Based on 1,163 students enrolled.
- 14
Clarke University IA
$55k
- Completion rate
- 56%
- Net price a year
- $24,479
- Private nonprofit
- 742 students
Based on 742 students enrolled.
- 15
University of Northern Iowa IA
$55k
- Completion rate
- 68%
- Net price a year
- $15,901
- Public
- 7,529 students
Based on 7,529 students enrolled.
University of Northern Iowa: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 16
Briar Cliff University IA
$54k
- Completion rate
- 48%
- Net price a year
- $23,907
- Private nonprofit
- 624 students
Based on 624 students enrolled.
- 17
Central College IA
$54k
- Completion rate
- 66%
- Net price a year
- $23,377
- Private nonprofit
- 1,070 students
Based on 1,070 students enrolled.
- 18
Cornell College IA
$53k
- Completion rate
- 62%
- Net price a year
- $23,634
- Private nonprofit
- 1,086 students
Based on 1,086 students enrolled.
- 19
Grand View University IA
$53k
- Completion rate
- 54%
- Net price a year
- $21,774
- Private nonprofit
- 1,486 students
Based on 1,486 students enrolled.
- 20
Upper Iowa University IA
$53k
- Completion rate
- 34%
- Net price a year
- $20,942
- Private nonprofit
- 1,994 students
Based on 1,994 students enrolled.
- 21
Dordt University IA
$53k
- Completion rate
- 70%
- Net price a year
- $25,807
- Private nonprofit
- 1,597 students
Based on 1,597 students enrolled.
- 22
University of Dubuque IA
$51k
- Completion rate
- 40%
- Net price a year
- $23,386
- Private nonprofit
- 1,440 students
Based on 1,440 students enrolled.
- 23
Waldorf University IA
$51k
- Completion rate
- 21%
- Net price a year
- $19,693
- Private for-profit
- 1,827 students
Based on 1,827 students enrolled.
- 24
Northwest Iowa Community College IA
$51k
- Completion rate
- 58%
- Net price a year
- $14,800
- Public
- 864 students
Based on 864 students enrolled.
Northwest Iowa Community College: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 25
Northwestern College IA
$50k
- Completion rate
- 66%
- Net price a year
- $25,907
- Private nonprofit
- 1,175 students
Based on 1,175 students enrolled.
Full ranking
All 43 colleges that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
How this ranking works
Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones.
Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches.
Sample bar: colleges with fewer than 500 students enrolled are not ranked.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (median earnings, completion, net price), as held in our college tables. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which certification ranks first: colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in iowa?
- Drake University leads Iowa among colleges for earnings: its former students earn a median of $72k ten years after enrolling, against $51k for the typical college in this list.
- How many colleges are ranked?
- 43 colleges have at least 500 students enrolled, so the list has 43 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones. Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Four-year colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Community and two-year colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Northeast
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in New England
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Mid-Atlantic
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in Iowa,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-iowa
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-iowa">Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in Iowa (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
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