Federal data
Highest earning liberal arts programs in Iowa
Iowa liberal arts programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simpson College | Indianola | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $43,635 | 35 |
| 2 | Luther College | Decorah | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $42,926 | 519 |
| 3 | University of Iowa | Iowa City | Public, 4-year | $40,791 | 189 |
| 4 | University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls | Public, 4-year | $40,009 | 93 |
| 5 | Iowa State University | Ames | Public, 4-year | $36,532 | 107 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.
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