Most Affordable Private Colleges in Iowa
Private nonprofit colleges rarely cost what their price tags say. Among the 25 we rank in Iowa, the average net price runs from $14,956 to $32,908 a year, a range of $17,952.
The median net price is $23,097, $763 (3%) below the national median of $23,860 for private nonprofit colleges. Median tuition and fees are $37,050, but the median net price, which also counts room, board and books after grants, is $23,097, so aid more than covers the housing and living costs added on top of tuition.
Maharishi International University ranks first at $14,956, ahead of Grinnell College ($17,648) and Graceland University-Lamoni ($18,504).
How this list is built
A college appears here only if it meets every condition below.
- Colleges considered
- Private nonprofit 4-year colleges whose main award is the bachelor's degree
- Ranked by net price, lowest first. Ties are broken by larger undergraduate enrollment, then by name.
- Main campuses only, with at least 60% of core data fields reported
- Main campus located in Iowa
- At least 500 undergraduate students enrolled (fall 2024)
- A reported net price value (schools without one are not ranked)
- This page is published only when at least 15 schools qualify; Iowa has 25
- Data period
- Net price: average for students receiving aid, academic year 2023-24.
- Tuition and fees: full-time undergraduate sticker price, academic year 2024-25 (the same for in-state and out-of-state students).
- Net price by income: students with family income of $0 to $30,000, academic year 2023-24.
- Graduation rate: first-time, full-time students who started in fall 2018 (4-year) or fall 2021 (2-year), finishing within 150% of normal time.
- Earnings: median earnings four years after completing, measured in 2022 and 2023 for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 cohorts, in 2024 dollars.
- Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
Showing all 25 qualifying schools. Select a column heading to re-sort the table.
| 1 | Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $14,956 | $16,530 | $14,269 | 34% | — |
| 2 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $17,648 | $68,106 | $9,970 | 88% | $58,955 |
| 3 | Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $18,504 | $20,950 | $15,875 | 40% | $63,607 |
| 4 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $18,745 | $54,666 | $11,479 | 62% | $57,133 |
| 5 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $18,846 | $41,798 | $12,901 | 54% | $50,318 |
| 6 | Waldorf University Forest City, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $19,693 | $25,978 | $16,448 | 24% | $67,834 |
| 7 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,168 | $40,878 | $17,070 | 57% | $61,330 |
| 8 | Loras College Dubuque, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,716 | $39,824 | $20,479 | 69% | $55,860 |
| 9 | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $20,942 | $19,475 | $17,715 | 38% | $58,837 |
| 10 | Grand View University Des Moines, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,774 | $34,762 | $18,512 | 55% | $57,521 |
| 11 | Simpson College Indianola, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $21,936 | $47,656 | $17,941 | 64% | $56,509 |
| 12 | William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $22,601 | $29,750 | $20,608 | 31% | $53,878 |
| 13 | Luther College Decorah, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,097 | $52,120 | $12,517 | 73% | $55,033 |
| 14 | Central College Pella, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,377 | $20,988 | $16,231 | 68% | $55,693 |
| 15 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,386 | $42,095 | $18,106 | 41% | $59,598 |
| 16 | Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,634 | $52,660 | $16,409 | 67% | $48,353 |
| 17 | Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $23,907 | $36,956 | $17,764 | 48% | $61,163 |
| 18 | Clarke University Dubuque, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,479 | $40,910 | $23,405 | 56% | $59,490 |
| 19 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $24,691 | $36,658 | $22,037 | 62% | $67,026 |
| 20 | Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,807 | $37,050 | $22,597 | 68% | $57,567 |
| 21 | Northwestern College Orange City, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $25,907 | $36,710 | $27,059 | 65% | $55,312 |
| 22 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $26,924 | $17,664 | $24,171 | 56% | $68,691 |
| 23 | Drake University Des Moines, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $29,127 | $52,130 | $25,824 | 76% | $65,232 |
| 24 | Morningside University Sioux City, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $31,320 | $39,660 | $33,738 | 52% | $61,955 |
| 25 | Wartburg College Waverly, IA Private nonprofit · 4-year | $32,908 | $26,250 | $21,688 | 66% | $58,373 |
How to compare these colleges
Do not rule out a private college because of its sticker price. Private colleges often discount heavily, and the net price shown here is what students who receive aid pay on average, including housing and books. Your own offer depends on your family income and the school's aid policy, so run each college's net price calculator and compare actual award letters.
Guides worth reading first
More lists for Iowa
Cheapest colleges in Iowa
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Best value colleges in Iowa
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Highest graduate earnings in Iowa
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Same list in nearby states
Most affordable private colleges in Illinois
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Most affordable private colleges in Missouri
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Most affordable private colleges in Minnesota
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All 40 colleges in Iowa See the national version of this ranking