2024 Iowa Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2022-2023, the average graduation rate at Iowa colleges is 59.0%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 17.1% and the average retention rate is 74.3% (full-time students).
Iowa College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- Grinnell College has the highest graduation rate of 88% and Waldorf University has the lowest graduation rate of 25% and .
- Clarke University has the highest transfer-out rate of 35% and William Penn University has the lowest transfer-out rate of 5% and .
- Grinnell College has the highest retention rate of 93% and Iowa Wesleyan University has the lowest retention rate of 54% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between Iowa Colleges
The following table lists Iowa colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | - | 68% | - |
| Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 76% | - |
| Capri College-Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private, 2-4 years | 71% | - | 89% | - |
| Capri College-Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, IA Private, 2-4 years | 71% | - | 85% | - |
| Central College Pella, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | 28% | 74% | - |
| Clarke University Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | 35% | 67% | - |
| Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 65% | 24% | 70% | - |
| Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | 26% | 80% | - |
| Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 12% | 63% | 44 |
| Divine Word College Epworth, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | 67% | - |
| Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | - | 80% | - |
| Drake University Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 76% | - | 83% | - |
| University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 39% | 35% | 71% | 50 |
| Ellsworth Community College Iowa Falls, IA Public, 2-4 years | 29% | 31% | 52% | 13 |
| Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 81% | - | 70% | 100 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport, IA Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 10% | 63% | 46 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 54% | 14% | 88% | - |
| Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 48% | - | 61% | - |
| Grand View University Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | - | 69% | - |
| Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 88% | - | 93% | - |
| Orion Technical College Davenport, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 86% | - | - | - |
| Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 15% | 55% | 30 |
| American Hair Academy Mt. Pleasant, IA Private, 2-4 years | 71% | - | 71% | - |
| Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa, IA Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 11% | 58% | 39 |
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 17% | 53% | 39 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville, IA Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 26% | 60% | 46 |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines Des Moines, IA Private, 2-4 years | 66% | - | 35% | - |
| Iowa State University Ames, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 74% | 18% | 86% | 64 |
| Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 29% | - | 54% | 14 |
| Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 19% | 66% | 72 |
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 73% | 18% | 89% | 80 |
| Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public, 2-4 years | 35% | 8% | 67% | 43 |
| La James International College-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA Private, 2-4 years | 44% | - | 100% | - |
| La James International College-Johnston Johnston, IA Private, 2-4 years | 65% | - | 82% | - |
| La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology Mason City, IA Private, 2-4 years | 71% | - | 90% | - |
| La James International College-Ft Dodge Fort Dodge, IA Private, 2-4 years | 100% | - | 100% | - |
| Loras College Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | - | 77% | - |
| Luther College Decorah, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 74% | - | 81% | - |
| Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 50% | - | 56% | 23 |
| Marshalltown Community College Marshalltown, IA Public, 2-4 years | 35% | 14% | 71% | 34 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 44% | - | 67% | - |
| Morningside University Sioux City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | 12% | 65% | - |
| Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 74% | 100 |
| North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA Public, 2-4 years | 54% | 9% | 72% | 47 |
| University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 63% | 25% | 83% | 38 |
| Northwestern College Orange City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | 9% | 78% | - |
| Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA Public, 2-4 years | 48% | 8% | 53% | 55 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA Public, 2-4 years | 64% | 6% | 69% | 29 |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Ottumwa Ottumwa, IA Private, 2-4 years | 38% | - | 40% | - |
| PCI Academy-Ames Ames, IA Private, 2-4 years | 94% | - | 100% | 69 |
| Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | 28% | 79% | - |
| St Luke's College Sioux City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | - | - |
| La James International College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, 2-4 years | 50% | - | 89% | - |
| Simpson College Indianola, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 78% | - |
| Southeastern Community College West Burlington, IA Public, 2-4 years | 38% | - | 69% | 46 |
| Southwestern Community College Creston, IA Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 13% | 66% | 50 |
| Capri College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, 2-4 years | 68% | - | 55% | - |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City Sioux City, IA Private, 2-4 years | 66% | - | 60% | - |
| E Q School of Hair Design Council Bluffs, IA Private, 2-4 years | 72% | - | 100% | - |
| Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | - | 57% | 21 |
| Waldorf University Forest City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 25% | 6% | 70% | 25 |
| Wartburg College Waverly, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | 24% | 70% | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA Private, 2-4 years | 70% | - | 72% | - |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City, IA Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 7% | 57% | 36 |
| William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 29% | 5% | 62% | - |
| Ross College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, 2-4 years | 61% | - | 68% | - |
| Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit Lake Spirit Lake, IA Private, 2-4 years | 100% | - | 100% | - |
| Aveda Institute-Des Moines West Des Moines, IA Private, 2-4 years | 100% | - | 93% | - |
| Average | 59% | 17% | 74% | 49 |