National university
#3 Best colleges in IowaDrake University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $29,127 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#76 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#102 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#82 of 834
- Best colleges for business in America#171 of 1,563
- Best colleges for education in America#153 of 1,318
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#146 of 1,238
Show 15 more
- Best colleges for finance in America#88 of 744
- Best colleges for psychology in America#198 of 1,418
- Best colleges in America#256 of 1,829
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#200 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#190 of 1,283
- Best test-optional colleges in America#220 of 1,481
- Best colleges for history in America#198 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#191 of 1,187
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#297 of 1,829
- Best mid-size colleges in America#109 of 667
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#202 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#201 of 1,162
- Best colleges for music in America#188 of 1,063
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#198 of 1,116
- Best colleges for economics in America#194 of 788
In Iowa
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Iowa#1 of 25
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Iowa#1 of 24
- Best colleges for accounting in Iowa#1 of 23
- Best colleges for marketing in Iowa#1 of 16
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Iowa#1 of 15
- Best colleges for business in Iowa#2 of 27
Show 17 more
- Best colleges for finance in Iowa#1 of 13
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Iowa#2 of 26
- Best colleges for education in Iowa#2 of 26
- Best colleges for English in Iowa#2 of 26
- Best colleges for history in Iowa#2 of 25
- Best colleges for mathematics in Iowa#2 of 25
- Best colleges for music in Iowa#2 of 25
- Best colleges for art and design in Iowa#2 of 24
- Best colleges for chemistry in Iowa#2 of 23
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Iowa#2 of 21
- Best colleges in Iowa#3 of 30
- Best test-optional colleges in Iowa#3 of 29
- Best colleges for psychology in Iowa#3 of 27
- Best colleges for economics in Iowa#2 of 17
- Most selective colleges in Iowa#3 of 16
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Iowa#6 of 30
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Iowa#4 of 16
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.74%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.84%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,292 · ACT 26.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$13,803
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $64,835 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,702 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 39% · Women 61% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 15% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 58% |
| Total students | 4,504 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $29,127 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $64,835 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 74% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 47% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 43% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 84% |
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $71,901 |
| Admission rate | 64% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 22% |
| Average SAT | 1292 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 580–680 |
| SAT math | 530–670 |
| ACT composite | 24–29 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Management science | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Economics | |
| Finance | |
| Accounting | |
| Management information systems | |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | |
| Business administration | |
| Marketing | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Political science | |
| Public relations | |
| Journalism | |
| Design | |
| English | |
| Theatre | |
| Other legal professions and studies | |
| Writing and rhetoric | |
| International relations | |
| Teacher education | |
| Psychology | |
| History | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Allied health, Anthropology, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biology, Broadcasting, Business (general), Chemistry, Communication studies, Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Fine arts, Health administration, Health sciences, International business, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Other visual and performing arts, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-law and legal studies, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Health professions | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 2% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,452 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Missouri Valley Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 72%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $69,506Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 65% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)About 5 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 212,4212020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | OmahaAbout 127 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 22°F1991–2020 normal, from DES MOINES INTL AP, IA US, about 5 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 76°F1991–2020 normal, from DES MOINES INTL AP, IA US, about 5 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.46 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.38 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.23 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Drake University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 14% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Drake University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $29,127 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Drake University?
- Drake University admitted 64% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Drake University’s graduates do?
- 74% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $71,901; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 153269
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
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