Best colleges for computer science in Iowa

    Grinnell College ranks first in Iowa for computer science value (#51 nationally, value score 74.3): graduates earn $109,892 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,203 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 5 Iowa colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best computer science colleges in Iowa

    Grinnell College ranks first in Iowa for computer science value (#51 nationally, value score 74.3): graduates earn $109,892 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,203 a year. 5 Iowa colleges qualify. At the median one, computer science graduates earn $90,639 and the average net price is $16,038 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 5 Iowa colleges qualify. At the median one, computer science graduates earn $90,639 and the average net price is $16,038 a year.
    Median earnings
    $90,639
    National: $97,375
    Median net price
    $16,038
    National: $16,804
    Median federal debt
    $20,688
    computer science graduates
    Public colleges
    3 of 5
    in this list

    5 colleges

    The Iowa ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Iowa 1

      Grinnell College

      Grinnell, IA · Private nonprofit · #51 nationally

      74.3Value
      Earnings
      $109,892
      Net price
      $15,203
      Federal debt
      $10,000
      Graduation rate
      86%
    2. Rank in Iowa 2

      Iowa State University

      Ames, IA · Public · #180 nationally

      57.0Value
      Earnings
      $104,211
      Net price
      $15,422
      Federal debt
      $24,050
      Graduation rate
      76%
    3. Rank in Iowa 3

      University of Northern Iowa

      Cedar Falls, IA · Public · #273 nationally

      44.6Value
      Earnings
      $89,305
      Net price
      $16,038
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      69%
    4. Rank in Iowa 4

      University of Iowa

      Iowa City, IA · Public · #327 nationally

      38.3Value
      Earnings
      $88,264
      Net price
      $22,508
      Federal debt
      Not reported
      Graduation rate
      76%
    5. Rank in Iowa 5

      Drake University

      Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofit · #359 nationally

      33.2Value
      Earnings
      $90,639
      Net price
      $29,415
      Federal debt
      $21,875
      Graduation rate
      71%

    Method: the same value score as the national computer science ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about computer science colleges in Iowa

    What are the best colleges for computer science in Iowa?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Iowa colleges for computer science are Grinnell College (value score 74.3), Iowa State University (value score 57) and University of Northern Iowa (value score 44.6). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Iowa college has the highest earnings for computer science graduates?

    Grinnell College: its computer science graduates have median earnings of $109,892 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable computer science college in Iowa on this list?

    Grinnell College has the lowest average net price of the ranked Iowa colleges, $15,203 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Iowa colleges are ranked for computer science?

    5 Iowa colleges have a computer science bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Iowa.