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Net Price of Iowa Colleges by Income

Get a free PDF of all Iowa college costs conveniently in one place.

College

Avg. Net Cost (by Family Income Bracket)

Name
Total Cost Per Year
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA
Total Cost Per Year $48,864
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $16,944
  • $17,771
  • $21,086
  • $25,487
  • $25,284
Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA
Total Cost Per Year $51,796
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $13,155
  • $14,412
  • $16,957
  • $20,878
  • $22,491
Central College Pella, IA
Total Cost Per Year $34,302
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $13,988
  • $16,740
  • $20,292
  • $22,506
  • $25,885
Clarke University Dubuque, IA
Total Cost Per Year $52,241
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $24,809
  • $27,421
  • $24,483
  • $26,489
  • $29,617
Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
Total Cost Per Year $63,012
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $13,308
  • $14,017
  • $16,005
  • $21,051
  • $26,199
Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA
Total Cost Per Year $62,735
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $17,716
  • $18,472
  • $20,347
  • $26,019
  • $30,312
Dordt College Sioux Center, IA
Total Cost Per Year $49,480
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $22,155
  • $20,368
  • $23,178
  • $27,024
  • $30,517
Drake University Des Moines, IA
Total Cost Per Year $62,125
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $27,327
  • $27,280
  • $28,798
  • $30,343
  • $32,542
University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA
Total Cost Per Year $48,160
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $15,471
  • $18,225
  • $19,649
  • $21,243
  • $26,625
Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA
Total Cost Per Year $46,380
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $16,272
  • $14,530
  • $15,405
  • $16,356
  • $19,000
Grand View University Des Moines, IA
Total Cost Per Year $45,172
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $18,695
  • $18,602
  • $19,016
  • $20,212
  • $24,232
Grinnell College Grinnell, IA
Total Cost Per Year $76,098
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $9,158
  • $7,615
  • $9,760
  • $16,968
  • $35,578
Iowa State University Ames, IA
Total Cost Per Year $22,152
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $7,532
  • $9,230
  • $12,102
  • $17,262
  • $20,129
Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant, IA
Total Cost Per Year $47,290
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $19,449
  • $19,274
  • $18,079
  • $24,888
  • $23,332
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA
Total Cost Per Year $26,358
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $13,749
  • $15,525
  • $19,144
  • $22,674
  • $23,541
Loras College Dubuque, IA
Total Cost Per Year $46,887
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $16,997
  • $17,052
  • $19,525
  • $19,052
  • $24,560
Luther College Decorah, IA
Total Cost Per Year $61,175
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $16,816
  • $16,901
  • $21,242
  • $25,231
  • $30,546
Morningside College Sioux City, IA
Total Cost Per Year $49,830
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $20,924
  • $23,014
  • $22,488
  • $24,352
  • $25,729
Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA
Total Cost Per Year $52,392
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $18,690
  • $17,945
  • $23,798
  • $24,127
  • $26,963
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA
Total Cost Per Year $21,409
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $10,137
  • $11,583
  • $14,349
  • $16,504
  • $16,079
Northwestern College Orange City, IA
Total Cost Per Year $47,650
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $19,324
  • $21,190
  • $22,765
  • $20,833
  • $25,550
Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA
Total Cost Per Year $49,836
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $20,027
  • $20,789
  • $19,963
  • $23,852
  • $27,352
Simpson College Indianola, IA
Total Cost Per Year $58,164
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $18,245
  • $20,041
  • $18,898
  • $23,793
  • $26,688
Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA
Total Cost Per Year $48,058
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $26,152
  • $24,341
  • $23,538
  • $26,879
  • $24,809
Wartburg College Waverly, IA
Total Cost Per Year $59,890
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $14,700
  • $16,333
  • $20,197
  • $23,553
  • $27,805
William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA
Total Cost Per Year $40,600
Family Income
  • $0-$30K
  • $30-$48K
  • $48-$75K
  • $75-$110K
  • $110K+
Avg. Net Cost
  • $20,120
  • $21,705
  • $21,392
  • $23,377
  • $24,004

Source: National Center for Educational Statistics. This is the most recent data available as of January 2024.

Get a free PDF of all Iowa college costs conveniently in one place.

Questions & Answers

  • What do all these numbers mean?

    All costs shown here are the average net cost paid by families in each income bracket for one year at the college in question. Net cost is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus government grants and institutional scholarships. Figures are based on data from the 2021-22 school year, which is the latest available as of January 2024.

  • What is the “Total Cost Per Year”?

    Total cost is the total cost of attendance for one year at that particular college. It includes:

    • Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
    • Room and board (on campus)
    • Books and supplies
    • Other expenses (travel and personal)

    Click the View Details option under each school's total cost per year to see a detailed breakdown of its total cost of attendance.

  • How can I use this information?

    This information is useful for building a realistic college budget. The numbers show you what the average family in your income bracket paid at specific schools, after federal grants and institutional scholarships were awarded. Student loans are not included in these numbers. These figures are a good place to start, so you can begin your college financial planning with historical data and estimate what your costs might be, until you learn more about your specific situation.

  • Will my family pay the amount on this chart?

    Probably not. The numbers are averages. You may be below average or above average. However, there are two key points we can learn from this data:

    1. Families with higher incomes ($75,000-$110,000 and $110,000+) will pay closer to full price at public colleges.
    2. Private colleges have a higher list price, but they offer more financial aid, to help make their net price more affordable compared to public colleges.

  • Where did this information come from?

    As part of federal financial aid, colleges are required to provide detailed cost information to the U.S. government. This data is made available to the public through the National Center for Education Statistics. For more details, click here.

  • What about athletes, merit aid or minority students?

    Athletes, high achieving students, and those with minority status are averaged in with everyone else. Within each income bracket, there are families that pay more than average and families that pay less than average.

  • The costs on this chart seem large. How can families afford to pay it?

    For many families, paying for college is not easy, but most families pay their net cost of college with some combination of:

    • College savings and investments
    • Payments from current income
    • Federal student Direct Loans
    • Federal parent PLUS Loans
    • Private loans
    • Scholarships
    • Tax planning
    • Student work

    The right options depend on your student and your family situation. If you plan ahead and choose the right strategies, you can potentially make college much more affordable, and you can potentially save thousands of dollars on college costs. To learn how, sign up for my free planning e-newsletter. It's loaded with tips, articles, and resources to help you plan and pay for college with proven financial strategies.

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