List of Private Universities & Colleges in Iowa

All in all, there are approximately 100 accredited colleges and universities in the state of Iowa. With nearly three dozen private colleges to choose from, students seeking an education at a private college in Iowa will need to perform research to determine which ones make sense to pursue. Top ranked private colleges in Iowa include schools from Storm Lake to Davenport and from Sioux City to Cedar Falls. Private colleges consistently rated in the top quartile by MatchCollege include the following: Drake University, Waldorf College, Cornell College, Clarke University, Iowa Wesleyan College, Northwestern College, William Penn College, Simpson College, and Mercy College.

Iowa Private College Degree Programs

College-bound students interested in chiropractic can research Palmer College in Davenport while students focused on a business path may find a specialty focus school like American Institute of Business a great fit. For students with a more broad-based educational bent, can pursue schools that offer a number of accredited degree paths, on-site and online, such as nursing, forensic psychology, higher education administration, pharmacology, music composition, holistic health, graphic design, or computer engineering to name a few examples. Begin your research quest with MatchCollege and connect with the best private colleges in Iowa for you today with our seamless technology.

List of Large 4-Year Private Universities in Iowa

There are 8 large private universities in our database for Iowa. Follow the links below to get more details about each school.

• Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA
• Drake University (Drake) in Des Moines, IA
• Graceland University in Lamoni, IA
• Morningside College in Sioux City, IA
• Purdue University Global in Davenport, IA
• Saint Ambrose University (St. Ambrose University) in Davenport, IA
• Upper Iowa University (UIU) in Fayette, IA
• Waldorf College in Forest City, IA

Small to Medium Sized 4-Year Universities

The 4-year schools listed below have a small to medium sized student body and may offer a wide range of associate and bachelor's degrees. Get more information about each school by clicking the links below.

• Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA
• Central College in Pella, IA
• Clarke University in Dubuque, IA
• Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA
• Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA
• Dordt College in Sioux Center, IA
• Grand View University in Des Moines, IA
• Grinnell College (Grinnell) in Grinnell, IA
• Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant, IA
• Loras College in Dubuque, IA
• Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, IA
• Mount Mercy University (Mount Mercy College) in Cedar Rapids, IA
• Northwestern College in Orange City, IA
• Purdue University Global Campus in Cedar Falls, IA
• Purdue University Global Campus in Cedar Rapids, IA
• Purdue University Global - Des Moines Campus in Urbandale, IA
• Simpson College in Indianola, IA
• Wartburg College in Waverly, IA
• William Penn University in Oskaloosa, IA

4-Year Colleges with a Special Focus on an Area of Study

The schools below are grouped by their special area of focus. To learn about admissions, tuition & fees, programs offered, and more click on the school names below.

Schools of Business and Management

• AIB College of Business (American Institute of Business) in Des Moines, IA

Health Professions Schools

• Allen College in Waterloo, IA
• Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA
• Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both Iowa in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2015: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.