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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

List Of Colleges And Universities In Iowa
There are sixty colleges and universities in the U.S. state of Iowa that are listed under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. These institutions include two research universities, nine master's universities, and nineteen baccalaureate colleges, as well as twenty-one associate's colleges. In addition, eleven special-focus institutions and three baccalaureate/associate's colleges operate in the state. The Iowa Board of Regents, a governing board, oversees the state's three public universities – the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa.

With 4,685 students, Drake University is the state's largest private not-for-profit school. The state's oldest post-secondary institution is Loras College, a private Catholic school in Dubuque that was founded in 1839, seven years before Iowa became a state.

The state's only two law schools, the University of Iowa College of Law and Drake University Law School, are both accredited by the American Bar Association. Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and Des Moines University are the state's two medical schools. The majority of Iowa's post-secondary institutions are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Most are accredited by multiple agencies, such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National League for Nursing (NLNAC).

Extant institutions

Institution Location(s) Control Type Enrollment
(fall 2022) 		Founded Accreditation
University of Iowa Iowa City Public Research university 30,015 1847 HLC, ACPE, ABA, ADA, APTA, APA, ASHA, CPE, CAHME, CCNE, CELPA, AANA, CEPH, JRCERT, LCME, NASD, NASM, NAST
Iowa State University Ames Public Research university 29,969 1858 HLC, AAMFT, ADA, APA, AVMA, NASM
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public Master's university 8,945 1876 HLC, ASHA, NASM
Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Public Associate's college 21,637 1966 HLC, ABFSE, ADA, NLNAC
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges Davenport Public Associate's college 7,145 1965 HLC
Ellsworth Community College Iowa Falls Public Associate's college 718 1890 HLC
Hawkeye Community College Waterloo Public Associate's college 4,787 1966 HLC, ADA, APTA
Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Public Associate's college 3,361 1969 HLC, AOTA, APTA, JRCERT
Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge Public Associate's college 5,058 1966 HLC, ADA, JRCERT, NLNAC
Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville Public Associate's college 1,960 1967 HLC
Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs Public Associate's college 5,342 1966 HLC, NLNAC, ADA
Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids Public Associate's college 12,406 1966 HLC, ADA, AOTA, APTA
Marshalltown Community College Marshalltown Public Associate's college 1,707 1927 HLC, ADA
North Iowa Area Community College Mason City Public Associate's college 2,479 1918 HLC, APTA, NLNAC
Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar Public Associate's college 4,355 1967 HLC
Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon Public Associate's college 1,811 1966 HLC
Southeastern Community College West Burlington Public Associate's college 2,476 1967 HLC
Southwestern Community College Creston Public Associate's college 1,581 1966 HLC
Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City Public Associate's college 5,150 1966 HLC, ADA, APTA, NLNAC
Allen College Waterloo Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 497 1925 HLC, CCNE, JRCERT, NLNAC
Briar Cliff University Sioux City Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 927 1930 HLC, CCNE, NLNAC
Buena Vista University Storm Lake Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,973 1891 HLC
Central College Pella Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,169 1853 HLC, NASM
Clarke University Dubuque Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 965 1843 HLC, APTA, CCNE, NASM
Coe College Cedar Rapids Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,264 1851 HLC, CCNE, NASM
Cornell College Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,073 1853 HLC
Des Moines University Des Moines Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 1,527 1898 HLC, AOA, APTA, APMA, CEPH
Divine Word College Epworth Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 68 1931 HLC
Dordt University Sioux Center Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,861 1955 HLC, CCNE
Drake University Des Moines Private not-for-profit Master's university 4,685 1881 HLC, ACPE, ABA, NASAD, NASM
Emmaus Bible College Dubuque Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 206 1941 ABHE, HLC
Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 448 1921 ABHE, HLC
Graceland University Lamoni Private not-for-profit Master's university 1,237 1895 HLC, TCATE
Grand View University Des Moines Private not-for-profit Master's university 1,827 1896 HLC, CCNE
Grinnell College Grinnell Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,759 1846 HLC
Loras College Dubuque Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,319 1839 HLC
Luther College Decorah Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,610 1861 HLC, CCNE, NASM, TCATE
Maharishi International University Fairfield Private not-for-profit Master's university 2,673 1971 HLC
Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 911 1995 HLC, APTA, CCNE, JRCERT, JRCNMT, NLNAC
Morningside University Sioux City Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 2,249 1894 HLC, CCNE, NASM, TCATE
Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,526 1928 HLC, CCNE
Northwestern College Orange City Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,651 1882 HLC, CCNE, TCATE
Palmer College of Chiropractic Davenport Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 2,178 1897 HLC, CCE
Simpson College Indianola Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,151 1860 HLC, NASM
St. Ambrose University Davenport Private not-for-profit Master's university 2,747 1882 HLC, AOTA, APTA, CCNE, TCATE
St. Luke's College Sioux City Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 196 1966 HLC, JRCERT, NLNAC
University of Dubuque Dubuque Private not-for-profit Master's university 1,776 1852 HLC, ATSCA, CCNE
Upper Iowa University Fayette Private not-for-profit Master's university 3,072 1857 HLC, CCNE
Wartburg College Waverly Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,444 1852 HLC, NASM, NAST
Wartburg Theological Seminary Dubuque Private not-for-profit Special-focus institution 186 1854 ATSCA, HLC
William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit Baccalaureate college 1,473 1873 HLC
Waldorf University Forest City Private for-profit Baccalaureate college 2,763 1903 HLC

Defunct institutions

Institution Location(s) Control Founded Closed Ref(s)
AIB College of Business Des Moines Private 1921 2016
Algona College Algona Private 1868 1875
Ashford University Clinton Private for-profit 1918 2016
Charles City College Charles City Private 1891 1914
(merged into Morningside College)
Des Moines University Des Moines Private 1865 1929
Grundy College Grundy Center, Iowa Private 1916 1934
Highland Park College Des Moines Private 1890 1918
(merged with Des Moines College)
Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant Private not-for-profit 1842 2023
Kaplan University various Private for-profit 1937 2018
Leander Clark College Toledo Private 1857 1918
(merged into Coe College)
Lenox College Hopkinton Private 1859 1944
Marycrest International University Davenport Private 1939 2002
Midwestern College Denison Private 1965 1970
Ottumwa Heights College Ottumwa Private 1864 1980
Parsons College Fairfield Private 1875 1973
Sioux Empire College Hawarden Public 1965 1985
Tabor College Tabor Private 1853 1927
Vatterott College Des Moines Private for-profit 1969 2018
Vennard College University Park Private 1910 2008
Westmar University Le Mars Private 1890 1997
Wilton German English College Wilton Private 1894 1904

Key

Abbreviation Accrediting agency
AAMFT American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
AANA American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
ABA American Bar Association
ABFSE American Board of Funeral Service Education
ABHE Association for Biblical Higher Education
ABHES Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
ACCSC Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
ACICS Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
ACPE Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
ACPE Association for Clinical Pastoral Education
ADA American Dental Association
ADA American Dietetic Association
AOA American Osteopathic Association
AOTA American Occupational Therapy Association
APA American Psychological Association
APMA American Podiatric Medical Association
APTA American Physical Therapy Association
ASHA American Speech–Language–Hearing Association
ATSCA Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association
CAHME Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
CCE Council on Chiropractic Education
CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
CELPA Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
CEPH Council on Education for Public Health
JRCERT Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in Radiologic Technology
JRCNMT Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
LCME Liaison Committee on Medical Education
NASAD National Association of Schools of Art and Design
NASD National Association of Schools of Dance
NASM National Association of Schools of Music
NAST National Association of Schools of Theatre
HLC Higher Learning Commission
NCATE National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
NLNAC National League for Nursing

See also