Colleges with the lowest student debt in Iowa
Colleges whose graduates leave with the least federal student debt.
Colleges with the lowest student debt in Iowa16 schools
16 schools qualify, ranked by median debt.
How this list is made
- Schools in Iowa.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has the median federal loan debt of graduates from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by median debt, lowest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
St. Luke's College
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for graduation
- Median debt $15,000
- 100% graduate
- 2
- 3
- 4
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA · PublicTop 24% for graduation
- Median debt $19,691
- 68% graduate
- 5
Dordt University
Sioux Center, IA · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Median debt $21,500
- 70% graduate
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Median debt $25,000
- 61% graduate
- 10Tie
- 10Tie
- 12
- 13Tie
- 13Tie
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Median debt $27,000
- 66% graduate
- 13Tie
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Median debt $27,000
- 62% graduate
- 13Tie
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Luke's College | $19,820 | $15,000 | $61,033 | 100% |
| Emmaus Bible College | $13,186 | $15,750 | $42,631 | 83% |
| Grinnell College | $17,648 | $17,500 | $62,830 | 88% |
| University of Northern Iowa | $15,901 | $19,691 | $55,177 | 68% |
| Dordt University | $25,807 | $21,500 | $52,559 | 70% |
| University of Iowa | $22,531 | $22,500 | $64,762 | 75% |
| Iowa State University | $18,589 | $22,869 | $63,386 | 75% |
| Drake University | $29,127 | $23,000 | $71,901 | 74% |
| Saint Ambrose University | $24,691 | $25,000 | $59,531 | 61% |
| Simpson College | $21,936 | $26,000 | $59,274 | 63% |
| Loras College | $20,716 | $26,000 | $58,289 | 68% |
| Central College | $23,377 | $26,984 | $54,317 | 66% |
| Luther College | $23,097 | $27,000 | $59,850 | 71% |
| Coe College | $18,745 | $27,000 | $57,125 | 66% |
| Cornell College | $23,634 | $27,000 | $53,460 | 62% |
| Wartburg College | $32,908 | $27,000 | $56,201 | 64% |
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 61
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 19
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 16
- New York 75
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 21
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15