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Iowa · Cost after aid

Cheapest colleges in Iowa after financial aid

Updated College Scorecard, 2024-25

The short answer

The cheapest four-year colleges in Iowa after financial aid are Grinnell ($15,203 a year), University of Northern Iowa ($16,038 a year in-state) and Maharishi International University ($16,579 a year), by the average price students with federal aid paid in 2024-25.

Sticker price isn't what most families pay. This list sorts by the average a student who got federal aid paid for a year after grants and scholarships. At public colleges it covers in-state students. Out-of-state students pay more, so those rows also show an out-of-state estimate: the in-state figure plus the extra tuition.

The list (14 of 28)

Four-year colleges in Iowa with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest average price after grants first. The list shows 14 of the 28 colleges with a price on file. Prices: College Scorecard, 2024-25.

  1. Grinnell College $15,203 a year Grinnell, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $8,161 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  2. University of Northern Iowa $16,038 a year in-state Cedar Falls, IA · Out of state: about $28,196 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $11,415 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  3. Maharishi International University $16,579 a year Fairfield, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,306 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  4. Iowa State University $18,517 a year in-state Ames, IA · Out of state: about $37,565 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $11,957 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  5. Coe College $18,647 a year Cedar Rapids, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $12,807 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  6. Buena Vista University $18,855 a year Storm Lake, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $15,520 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  7. Graceland University-Lamoni $19,899 a year Lamoni, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $19,745 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  8. Simpson College $20,460 a year Indianola, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,952 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  9. Upper Iowa University $21,119 a year Fayette, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $19,891 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  10. Grand View University $21,705 a year Des Moines, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $17,979 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  11. University of Iowa $22,508 a year in-state Iowa City, IA · Out of state: about $44,596 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $15,353 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  12. Central College $22,894 a year Pella, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,038 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  13. Loras College $22,910 a year Dubuque, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $19,837 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  14. Wartburg College $23,374 a year Waverly, IA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $17,579 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
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What are the cheapest colleges in Iowa after financial aid?

The cheapest four-year colleges in Iowa after financial aid are Grinnell ($15,203 a year), University of Northern Iowa ($16,038 a year in-state) and Maharishi International University ($16,579 a year), by the average price students with federal aid paid in 2024-25.

Which are cheapest for families earning under $30,000?

Of the colleges listed, Grinnell ($8,161), University of Northern Iowa ($11,415) and Iowa State University ($11,957) had the lowest average yearly price for students from families earning under $30,000, in 2024-25.

What does price after aid mean here?

It's what a student who got federal aid paid for a year of tuition, fees, housing, food and books after grants and scholarships, before loans. It comes from the College Scorecard, which the U.S. Department of Education publishes.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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