2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
20
Ranked Colleges
5,969
Degrees Awarded
$28,400
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 556,813 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $28,337 and had an average of $17,430 in loans still to pay off.
Across Iowa, there were 5,969 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,629 and $16,466 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts” ranking looked at 20 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts general studies programs as well as strong veteran support.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts general studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts
The colleges and universities below are the best for iowa vets studying liberal arts.
Top 20 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Iowa landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 221 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 30,318 students enrolled at University of Iowa were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. University of Northern Iowa is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 68 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
UNI also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 251 of the 9,507 students enrolled at UNI were GI Bill® students, of which 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,033. During this same period, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 80 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
Iowa State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 814 of the 31,822 students enrolled at Iowa State University were GI Bill® students, of which 388 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,933. To help with additional expenses, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa State University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Iowa State University]](/colleges/iowa-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa Western Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 493 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa Western Community College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 5,791 students enrolled at Iowa Western Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $583. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa Western Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Iowa Western Community College Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Grand View University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying liberal arts list, Grand View University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 86 of the 1,874 students enrolled at Grand View University were GI Bill® students, of which 38 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,256. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Grand View University Veteran Student Life Report
Des Moines Area Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Ankeny, Iowa, this large public school awarded 1,170 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
DMACC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 500 of the 23,051 students enrolled at DMACC were GI Bill® students, of which 221 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,709. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at DMACC]](/colleges/des-moines-area-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #7, Western Iowa Tech Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a medium-sized school located in Sioux City, Iowa that handed out 124 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Western Iowa Tech Community College also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 5,360 students enrolled at Western Iowa Tech Community College, 117 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 51 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,455. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Western Iowa Tech Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Simpson College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking, coming in at #8. Simpson College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Indianola, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Simpson College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,267 students enrolled at Simpson College, 35 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,481. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Simpson College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Simpson College Veteran Student Life Report
Northwest Iowa Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small school located in Sheldon, Iowa that handed out 63 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwest Iowa Community College also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 1,666 students enrolled at Northwest Iowa Community College, 36 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,961. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Northwest Iowa Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Iowa Central Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Iowa Central Community College is a public institution located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 426 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa Central Community College also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 100 of the 4,704 students enrolled at Iowa Central Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,481. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa Central Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
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Marshalltown Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking, coming in at #11. Marshalltown, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 144 students in 2020-2021.
Marshalltown Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Marshalltown Community College supports 1,836 students, and 30 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 10 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,511. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
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Kirkwood Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 822 students in 2020-2021.
Kirkwood Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 264 of the 12,277 students enrolled at Kirkwood Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 108 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,554. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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Eastern Iowa Community College District ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Eastern Iowa Community College District is a medium-sized school located in Davenport, Iowa that handed out 536 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Eastern Iowa Community College District supports 7,081 students, and 19 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 9 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,290. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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Indian Hills Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. IHCC is a small public school situated in Ottumwa, Iowa. It awarded 234 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
IHCC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Indian Hills Community College supports 3,279 students, and 106 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 45 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,629. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at IHCC]](/colleges/indian-hills-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
Hawkeye Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Hawkeye Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Waterloo, Iowa. It awarded 278 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hawkeye Community College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Hawkeye Community College supports 5,042 students, and 150 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 68 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,269. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Hawkeye Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
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North Iowa Area Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. North Iowa Area Community College is a small public school situated in Mason City, Iowa. It awarded 373 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Iowa Area Community College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, North Iowa Area Community College supports 2,681 students, and 51 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 28 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,828. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at North Iowa Area Community College]](/colleges/north-iowa-area-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #17, Iowa Lakes Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. Iowa Lakes Community College is located in Estherville, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 146 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa Lakes Community College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 12 of the 2,288 students enrolled at Iowa Lakes Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,004. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa Lakes Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Iowa Lakes Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Ellsworth Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Ellsworth is a small public school situated in Iowa Falls, Iowa. It awarded 78 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Ellsworth also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 731 students enrolled at Ellsworth, 15 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,410. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Ellsworth Community College]](/colleges/ellsworth-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
Southwestern Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts ranking. Southwestern Community College is a public institution located in Creston, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 137 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SWCC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 19 of the 1,503 students enrolled at Southwestern Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,360. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at SWCC]](/colleges/southwestern-community-college-creston/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #20, Southeastern Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Liberal Arts list. West Burlington, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 248 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa vets studying liberal arts list, Southeastern Community College has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 2,260 students enrolled at Southeastern Community College, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,695. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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