Best colleges for art and design in Iowa
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in art or design, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for art and design in Iowa24 schools
24 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Iowa.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in art or design, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade A- · Top 14%
- 2
Drake University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofit#3 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B
- 3Tie
Simpson College
Indianola, IA · Private nonprofit#5 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B
- 3Tie
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA · Public#5 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B · Top 37%
- 5
Iowa State University
Ames, IA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 6
Dordt University
Sioux Center, IA · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 7
Luther College
Decorah, IA · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 8
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 9
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA · PublicTop 24% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B+ · Top 24%
- 10Tie
Central College
Pella, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 10Tie
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 12
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 13
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 14
Northwestern College
Orange City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 15
Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 16
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B · Top 39%
- 17
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 18
Clarke University
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 19
Grand View University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B
- 20
Morningside University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 21
William Penn University
Oskaloosa, IA · Private nonprofit#26 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 22
Maharishi International University
Fairfield, IA · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade C+
- 23
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA · Private nonprofit#28 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B-
- 24
Graceland University-Lamoni
Lamoni, IA · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in art or design
- Value grade B
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grinnell College | About $18,000 | $17,500 | $62,830 | 88% |
| Drake University | About $29,000 | $23,000 | $71,901 | 74% |
| Simpson College | About $22,000 | $26,000 | $59,274 | 63% |
| University of Iowa | About $23,000 | $22,500 | $64,762 | 75% |
| Iowa State University | About $19,000 | $22,869 | $63,386 | 75% |
| Dordt University | About $26,000 | $21,500 | $52,559 | 70% |
| Luther College | About $23,000 | $27,000 | $59,850 | 71% |
| Coe College | About $19,000 | $27,000 | $57,125 | 66% |
| University of Northern Iowa | About $16,000 | $19,691 | $55,177 | 68% |
| Central College | About $23,000 | $26,984 | $54,317 | 66% |
| Cornell College | About $24,000 | $27,000 | $53,460 | 62% |
| Wartburg College | About $33,000 | $27,000 | $56,201 | 64% |
| Buena Vista University | About $19,000 | $25,000 | $49,156 | 62% |
| Northwestern College | About $26,000 | $23,249 | $49,802 | 66% |
| Saint Ambrose University | About $25,000 | $25,000 | $59,531 | 61% |
| Mount Mercy University | About $20,000 | $23,699 | $60,787 | 58% |
| Briar Cliff University | About $24,000 | $23,250 | $54,475 | 48% |
| Clarke University | About $24,000 | $26,717 | $55,396 | 56% |
| Grand View University | About $22,000 | $22,500 | $52,824 | 54% |
| Morningside University | About $31,000 | $26,028 | $55,494 | 50% |
| William Penn University | About $23,000 | $22,415 | $48,936 | 33% |
| Maharishi International University | About $15,000 | $24,781 | $27,981 | 50% |
| Upper Iowa University | About $21,000 | $25,000 | $52,766 | 34% |
| Graceland University-Lamoni | About $19,000 | $21,212 | $47,361 | 42% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 19
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 17
- California 75
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 21
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 7
- Florida 29
- Georgia 32
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 6
- Illinois 47
- Indiana 36
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 22
- Louisiana 16
- Maine 13
- Maryland 20
- Massachusetts 44
- Michigan 30
- Minnesota 30
- Mississippi 7
- Missouri 32
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 15
- Nevada 4
- New Hampshire 8
- New Jersey 26
- New Mexico 6
- New York 85
- North Carolina 39
- North Dakota 5
- Ohio 59
- Oklahoma 15
- Oregon 14
- Pennsylvania 74
- Puerto Rico 17
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 25
- South Dakota 9
- Tennessee 27
- Texas 54
- Utah 8
- Vermont 8
- Virginia 33
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 11
- Wisconsin 29