Best Computer Science Colleges in Iowa2026 Rankings
Iowa is home to 21 accredited institutions offering Computer Science programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, Grinnell College is the most selective, admitting 13% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $33,983, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $36,397. Median early-career earnings for Computer Science graduates in this state average $39,633 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 62%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grinnell CollegePrivate | Excellent· 46 | 13% | 87% | $6,220 | $84,449 | 9:1 | 31 | 1,705 |
| 2 | Luther CollegePrivate | Great· 39 | 73% | 75% | $22,180 | $63,760 | 10:1 | 43 | 1,454 |
| 3 | Emmaus Bible CollegePrivate | Great· 39 | 98% | 82% | $12,281 | $29,569 | 8:1 | 11 | 183 |
| 4 | Coe CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 71% | 59% | $16,889 | $42,166 | 11:1 | 40 | 1,246 |
| 5 | University of IowaPublic | Strong· 36 | 85% | 73% | $20,136 | $47,110 | 15:1 | 83 | 21,691 |
| 6 | Central CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 79% | 69% | $19,418 | $41,714 | 12:1 | 40 | 1,062 |
| 7 | Cornell CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 81% | 72% | $22,174 | $34,521 | 12:1 | 44 | 1,074 |
| 8 | Iowa State UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 89% | 75% | $15,430 | $78,517 | 18:1 | 96 | 25,033 |
| 9 | Loras CollegePrivate | Strong· 35 | 92% | 70% | $16,930 | $40,870 | 12:1 | 41 | 1,087 |
| 10 | Buena Vista UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 72% | 47% | $16,286 | $41,622 | 13:1 | 51 | 1,378 |
| 11 | University of Northern IowaPublic | Strong· 34 | 94% | 69% | $13,872 | $65,960 | 17:1 | 68 | 7,599 |
| 12 | Saint Ambrose UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 73% | 63% | $20,111 | $51,020 | 11:1 | 55 | 2,101 |
| 13 | Simpson CollegePrivate | Good· 33 | 89% | 66% | $19,007 | $70,950 | 11:1 | 48 | 1,130 |
| 14 | Dordt UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 71% | 65% | $23,110 | $46,256 | 14:1 | 87 | 1,547 |
| 15 | William Penn UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 57% | 29% | $21,898 | $40,662 | 13:1 | 39 | 1,391 |
| 16 | Morningside UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 71% | 53% | $22,086 | $53,956 | 12:1 | 43 | 1,166 |
| 17 | Mount Mercy UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 79% | 56% | $21,217 | $53,520 | 13:1 | 45 | 1,135 |
| 18 | Grand View UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 98% | 56% | $19,778 | $46,038 | 12:1 | 48 | 1,472 |
| 19 | Northwestern CollegePrivate | Average· 29 | 87% | 64% | $20,674 | $46,403 | 14:1 | 44 | 1,125 |
| 20 | Maharishi International UniversityPrivate | Average· 26 | 97% | 18% | $22,627 | $30,202 | 13:1 | 19 | 774 |
| 21 | Briar Cliff UniversityPrivate | Fair· 23 | — | 49% | $23,260 | $43,017 | 12:1 | 47 | 626 |