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Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa

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2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa

15 Colleges
$24,682 Avg Salary
$12,147 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree School for You

Liberal Arts General Studies is the most popular major in Iowa with 5,966 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021.

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 15 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for students. Factors related to overall quality of the school, post-graduation earnings, average student debt, and more accumulated were considered when coming up with this list.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa

The colleges and universities below are the best for liberal arts majors pursuing a associate degree.

Top 10 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools

Our analysis found Northwest Iowa Community College to be the best school for liberal arts general studies students who want to pursue a associate degree in Iowa. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Sheldon.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Northwest Iowa Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,875.

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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Des Moines Area Community College is a great place for liberal arts general studies students working on their associate degree. DMACC is a fairly large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at DMACC take out while working on their Associate Degree is $14,279. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $64.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Des Moines Area Community College Report

#3

Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, IA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Iowa Western Community College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list. Iowa Western Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Council Bluffs.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Iowa Western Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $15,727. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $97, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Iowa Western Community College Report

#4

Southeastern Community College

West Burlington, IA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southeastern Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list. Located in the remote town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public school with a small student population.

Liberal Arts majors at Southeastern Community College take out an average of $11,070 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Eastern Iowa Community College District. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list. Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

While working on their Associate Degree, liberal arts majors at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges accumulate an average of around $14,102 in student debt.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Eastern Iowa Community College District Report

#6

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA

Kirkwood Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Kirkwood Community College is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Cedar Rapids.

After completing their Associate Degree, liberal arts graduates from Kirkwood Community College carry an average student debtload of $15,374. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $59, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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Hawkeye Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree liberal arts general studies programs. Hawkeye Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Waterloo.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Hawkeye Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $16,408.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Hawkeye Community College Report

#8

Iowa Lakes Community College

Estherville, IA

Iowa Lakes Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for liberal arts general studies students to get a associate degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the remote town of Estherville, Iowa Lakes Community College is a public college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Iowa Lakes Community College take out while working on their Associate Degree is $13,342.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Iowa Lakes Community College

Iowa Central Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the town of Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Liberal Arts majors at Iowa Central Community College take out an average of $14,330 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $62.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Iowa Central Community College Report

Southwestern Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. SWCC is a small public school located in the remote town of Creston.

On average, liberal arts graduates from SWCC take out $13,966 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at Southwestern Community College Report

Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Missouri 8,280
Minnesota 6,264
Kansas 6,339
Nebraska 1,612
North Dakota 953
South Dakota 222

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 15 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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