2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
When pursuing a degree in today's world, veterans have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking - to help you make that decision.
Our analysis looked at 39 schools in Iowa to determine which ones were the best for veterans and active service men and women. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, and the school's overall quality.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our 2021 rankings named Iowa State University the best school in Iowa for veterans working on their bachelor’s degree. Iowa State University is a large public school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 8,834 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Iowa State supports 31,822 students, and 824 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 455 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,422. On top of their other funding sources, 14 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Iowa State did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Schools in Iowa list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, the large public school handed out 8,539 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 30,318 students enrolled at Iowa, 675 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 411 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, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Iowa does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Iowa is ranked #4 for overall quality in Iowa.
Out of the 39 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Northern Iowa landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the medium-sized public school handed out 3,061 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 270 of the 9,507 students enrolled at UNI were GI Bill® students, of which 130 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,980. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UNI does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. UNI also made our Best Schools in Iowa list, coming in at #5.
Out of the 39 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Mount Mercy University landed the #4 spot on the list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 680 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 58 of the 1,705 students enrolled at Mount Mercy were GI Bill® students, of which 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,552. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list means Upper Iowa University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. UIU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fayette, Iowa. It awarded 1,492 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 3,610 students enrolled at UIU, 478 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 400 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,152. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Drake University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 1,465 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 4,774 students enrolled at Drake, 94 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 65 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,714. During this same period, 14 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Drake is ranked #3 for overall quality in Iowa.
Grand View University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking, coming in at #7. Grand View University is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 584 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 1,874 students enrolled at Grand View University, 72 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 48 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,650. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a ranking of #8, Northwest Iowa Community College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution located in Sheldon, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 222 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 45 of the 1,666 students enrolled at Northwest Iowa Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,013. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Saint Ambrose University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Davenport, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 830 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 3,003 students enrolled at St. Ambrose University, 98 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 72 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,325. To help with additional expenses, 23 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
University of Dubuque came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. UD is located in Dubuque, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 571 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, UD supports 2,180 students, and 125 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 83 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,129. During this same period, 37 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a ranking of #11, Simpson College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. Located in Indianola, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 432 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 1,267 students enrolled at Simpson College, 42 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 24 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,434. To help with additional expenses, 8 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Simpson College excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Iowa list.
With a ranking of #12, North Iowa Area Community College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. North Iowa Area Community College is located in Mason City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 596 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Among the 2,681 students enrolled at North Iowa Area Community College, 65 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 39 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,171. North Iowa Area Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Western Iowa Tech Community College landed the #13 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Located in Sioux City, Iowa, the medium-sized public school awarded 489 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Western Iowa Tech Community College supports 5,360 students, and 125 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 54 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,348. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Kirkwood Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the fairly large public school awarded 1,610 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Of the 12,277 students enrolled at Kirkwood Community College, 325 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 169 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,093. Kirkwood Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a ranking of #15, Iowa Western Community College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. Iowa Western Community College is a public institution located in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 778 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 5,791 students enrolled at Iowa Western Community College, 174 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 104 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,130. Iowa Western Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Loras College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Loras is located in Dubuque, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 384 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Our most recent data shows that 31 of the 1,404 students enrolled at Loras were GI Bill® students, of which 20 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,078. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Loras also did well on our Best Schools in Iowa list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Buena Vista University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. BVU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Storm Lake, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 653 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,863 students enrolled at BVU, 31 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 21 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,284. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Graceland University - Lamoni landed the #18 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Lamoni, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 570 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 1,517 students enrolled at Graceland Lamoni, 24 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 18 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,957. Graceland Lamoni does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Dordt University landed the #19 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Dordt is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux Center, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 458 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 1,662 students enrolled at Dordt, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $23,071. On top of their other funding sources, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Dordt does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Hawkeye Community College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking, coming in at #20. Hawkeye Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Waterloo, Iowa. It awarded 639 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Hawkeye Community College supports 5,042 students, and 169 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 89 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,388. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Northeast Iowa Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Northeast Iowa Community College is a small public school located in Calmar, Iowa that handed out 417 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 4,162 students enrolled at NICC, 55 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 25 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,975. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Wartburg College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Wartburg is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waverly, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 380 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 1,563 students enrolled at Wartburg, 22 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,803. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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%. Wartburg excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Iowa list.
Morningside College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking. Morningside is located in Sioux City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 708 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Morningside supports 2,411 students, and 51 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 31 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,962. During this same period, 8 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Clarke University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 259 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 14 of the 855 students enrolled at Clarke were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,559. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
With a ranking of #25, Briar Cliff University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Iowa list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Sioux City, Iowa, and it awarded 333 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Briar Cliff supports 1,076 students, and 30 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 21 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,750. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Best Colleges for Veterans in the Plains States Region
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Best Colleges in the Plains States Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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