Best colleges for English in Iowa
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in English, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for English in Iowa26 schools
26 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Iowa.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in English, 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 English
- Value grade A- · Top 14%
- 2
Drake University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofit#3 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B
- 3Tie
Simpson College
Indianola, IA · Private nonprofit#5 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B
- 3Tie
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA · Public#5 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B · Top 37%
- 5
Iowa State University
Ames, IA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 6
Dordt University
Sioux Center, IA · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 7
Luther College
Decorah, IA · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 8
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 9
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA · PublicTop 24% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B+ · Top 24%
- 10
Loras College
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B
- 11Tie
Central College
Pella, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 11Tie
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 13
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade C+
- 14
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 15
Northwestern College
Orange City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade C+
- 16
Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 17
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B · Top 39%
- 18
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 19
Clarke University
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 20
Grand View University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B
- 21
Morningside University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade C+
- 22
University of Dubuque
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 23
William Penn University
Oskaloosa, IA · Private nonprofit#26 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 24
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA · Private nonprofit#28 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in English
- Value grade B-
- 25
Graceland University-Lamoni
Lamoni, IA · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in English
- 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% |
| Loras College | About $21,000 | $26,000 | $58,289 | 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% |
| University of Dubuque | About $23,000 | $25,750 | $51,190 | 40% |
| William Penn University | About $23,000 | $22,415 | $48,936 | 33% |
| 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 23
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 7
- Arkansas 19
- California 68
- Colorado 17
- Connecticut 21
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 7
- Florida 29
- Georgia 41
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 7
- Illinois 49
- Indiana 37
- Kansas 21
- Kentucky 24
- Louisiana 20
- Maine 13
- Maryland 22
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 30
- Minnesota 30
- Mississippi 14
- Missouri 36
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 16
- Nevada 4
- New Hampshire 12
- New Jersey 24
- New Mexico 6
- New York 81
- North Carolina 47
- North Dakota 8
- Ohio 69
- Oklahoma 21
- Oregon 16
- Pennsylvania 87
- Puerto Rico 7
- Rhode Island 6
- South Carolina 31
- South Dakota 8
- Tennessee 36
- Texas 67
- Utah 8
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 38
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 14
- Wisconsin 27