The cost of college in Iowa — and what it pays back
Across the 47 Iowa institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $18,589/yr, $1,687 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $50,776 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 27 of the 47 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Iowa's 47 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drake University | $29,127 | $71,901 | 4.9 yrs |
| Grinnell College | $17,648 | $62,830 | 4.9 yrs |
| Iowa State University | $18,589 | $63,386 | 4.9 yrs |
| University of Iowa | $22,531 | $64,762 | 5.5 yrs |
| Mount Mercy University | $20,168 | $60,787 | 6.5 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marshalltown Community College | $8,059 | $41,010 | no payback |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | $8,770 | $40,473 | no payback |
| Iowa Central Community College | $9,328 | $42,046 | no payback |
| Hawkeye Community College | $9,649 | $42,849 | no payback |
| Kirkwood Community College | $9,705 | $41,016 | no payback |
How many Iowa colleges actually pay for themselves?
27 of 47 — 57% of the Iowa institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Iowa graduates out-earn the national median?
Iowa graduates report a median $50,776 ten years after entry, $7,228 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.