2025 Iowa Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2023-2024, the average graduation rate at Iowa colleges is 63.4%. 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 17.7% and the average retention rate is 74.5% (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 21% and .
- University of Dubuque has the highest transfer-out rate of 45% and Mercy College of Health Sciences has the lowest transfer-out rate of 7% and .
- Grinnell College has the highest retention rate of 93% and Waldorf University has the lowest retention rate of 44% 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 | 48% | - | 64% | - |
| Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | - | 76% | - |
| Capri College-Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 74% | - | 86% | - |
| Capri College-Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 65% | - | 92% | - |
| Central College Pella, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 30% | 80% | - |
| Clarke University Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | 39% | 67% | - |
| Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 20% | 73% | - |
| Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | 25% | 80% | - |
| Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public, 2-4 years | 39% | 17% | 63% | 47 |
| Divine Word College Epworth, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | 33% | - |
| Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 70% | - | 85% | 100 |
| Drake University Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 74% | - | 84% | - |
| University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | 45% | 77% | 80 |
| Ellsworth Community College Iowa Falls, IA Public, 2-4 years | 38% | 29% | 64% | - |
| Emmaus Bible College Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 83% | 13% | 83% | - |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport, IA Public, 2-4 years | 45% | 15% | 59% | 49 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary Ankeny, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 77% | - |
| Graceland University-Lamoni Lamoni, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | 11% | 55% | - |
| Grand View University Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 54% | 21% | 70% | 50 |
| Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 88% | - | 93% | - |
| Orion Technical College Davenport, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 81% | - | - | - |
| Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA Public, 2-4 years | 43% | 13% | 63% | 37 |
| American Hair Academy Mt. Pleasant, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 44% | 6% | 58% | - |
| Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa, IA Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 11% | 59% | 45 |
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA Public, 2-4 years | 42% | - | 52% | 39 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville, IA Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 14% | 61% | 38 |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines Des Moines, IA Private, 2-4 years | 81% | - | 44% | - |
| Iowa State University Ames, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 75% | 19% | 88% | 82 |
| Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 22% | 57% | 42 |
| University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 75% | 17% | 90% | 64 |
| Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public, 2-4 years | 43% | 8% | 71% | 45 |
| La James International College-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 71% | - | 95% | - |
| La James International College-Johnston Johnston, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 88% | - | 88% | - |
| La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology Mason City, IA Private, 2-4 years | 76% | - | 91% | - |
| La James International College-Ft Dodge Fort Dodge, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 90% | - | 93% | - |
| Loras College Dubuque, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 82% | - |
| Luther College Decorah, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 71% | 13% | 77% | - |
| Maharishi International University Fairfield, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 50% | - | 61% | 22 |
| Marshalltown Community College Marshalltown, IA Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 13% | 69% | 26 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 7% | 69% | 63 |
| Morningside University Sioux City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 50% | 10% | 74% | - |
| Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 58% | - | 73% | - |
| North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA Public, 2-4 years | 61% | 13% | 67% | 42 |
| University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Public, 4 years four-years | 68% | 22% | 82% | 29 |
| Northwestern College Orange City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 13% | 73% | - |
| Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA Public, 2-4 years | 51% | 7% | 62% | 51 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA Public, 2-4 years | 58% | 8% | 73% | 51 |
| PCI Academy-Ames Ames, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 77% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 61% | 30% | 76% | - |
| St Luke's College Sioux City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 100% | - | - | - |
| La James International College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 91% | - | 84% | - |
| Simpson College Indianola, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | - | 81% | - |
| Southeastern Community College West Burlington, IA Public, 2-4 years | 43% | 7% | 70% | 52 |
| Southwestern Community College Creston, IA Public, 2-4 years | 59% | 16% | 68% | 34 |
| Capri College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 82% | - | 94% | - |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City Sioux City, IA Private, 2-4 years | 72% | - | 74% | - |
| SOHO Hair Academy Council Bluffs, IA Private, 2-4 years | 76% | - | 83% | - |
| Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 34% | 36% | 68% | - |
| Waldorf University Forest City, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 21% | - | 44% | - |
| Wartburg College Waverly, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | 26% | 76% | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 52% | - | 64% | - |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City, IA Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 7% | 64% | 52 |
| William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Private, 4 years four-years | 33% | - | 58% | 50 |
| Ross College-Davenport Davenport, IA Private, 2-4 years | 65% | - | 10% | - |
| Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit Lake Spirit Lake, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 92% | - | 100% | - |
| Carlson College of Massage Therapy Anamosa, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | - | - |
| Aveda Institute-Des Moines West Des Moines, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 88% | - | 89% | - |
| PCI Academy-Iowa City Iowa City, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 71% | - | 92% | 95 |
| Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School Urbandale, IA Private, Less than 2 years | 90% | - | 100% | 100 |
| Average | 63% | 18% | 75% | 54 |
Most Compared Iowa Colleges
The following Iowa college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.