Public colleges
Public Colleges in Iowa
CampusPin lists 19 public colleges and universities in Iowa, about 35.2% of the state's 54 institutions. Public colleges charge state residents a lower in-state rate, with a median published in-state tuition of $10,497 in this snapshot.
Iowa public colleges by the numbers
- Public colleges
- 19
- Share of state colleges
- 35.2%
- Median in-state tuition
- $10,497
- Median out-of-state tuition
- $27,683
- Out-of-state premium
- +$17,186
- National public in-state median
- $8,994
Counts and shares come from CampusPin's committed institution-distribution snapshot; tuition medians are the published public-university figures from the tuition-by-state snapshot. Published prices are before financial aid; net price is typically lower. Residency rules determine in-state eligibility.
Public universities in Iowa
Public community colleges in Iowa
- Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny · $5,550
- Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictDavenport · $4,680
- Ellsworth Community CollegeIowa Falls · $5,304
- Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo · $6,308
- Indian Hills Community CollegeOttumwa · $4,872
- Iowa Central Community CollegeFort Dodge · $5,376
- Iowa Lakes Community CollegeEstherville · $7,196
- Iowa Western Community CollegeCouncil Bluffs · $6,780
- Kirkwood Community CollegeCedar Rapids · $5,980
- Marshalltown Community CollegeMarshalltown · $5,304
- North Iowa Area Community CollegeMason City · $6,436
- Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar · $6,600
- Northwest Iowa Community CollegeSheldon · $7,110
- Southeastern Community CollegeWest Burlington · $2,600
- Southwestern Community CollegeCreston · $5,806
- Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeSioux City · $5,042
Public vs private in Iowa
Public colleges are state-supported and charge residents a lower in-state rate; private colleges set one tuition for all students but often discount it heavily with institutional aid. Compare net price and outcomes, not just sticker price, on each profile. Our cost and outcomes by state research shows how the median net price and graduation rate vary from one state to the next.
Public colleges in nearby states
Data sources & methodology
Public-college counts and tuition for Iowa come from CampusPin's committed institution-distribution and tuition-by-state snapshots; the college list is compiled live from each institution's record.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. Public Colleges in Iowa. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/public-colleges-in/iowa