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Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa

2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa

20 Colleges
$29,629 Avg Salary
$16,466 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Liberal Arts General Studies 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.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa ranking. This report analyzed 20 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best programs for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa

The following schools top our list of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Colleges.

Top 10 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools

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

After completing their degree, liberal arts graduates from Northwest Iowa Community College carry an average student debtload of $11,204.

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#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa list. Iowa is a fairly large public school located in the city of Iowa City.

Liberal Arts majors at Iowa take out an average of $25,566 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $279.

Full Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Iowa Report

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#3

Simpson College

Indianola, IA

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Simpson College is a great place for liberal arts general studies students. Simpson College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Indianola.

Liberal Arts majors at Simpson College take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Des Moines Area Community College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa list. DMACC is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Ankeny.

Liberal Arts majors at DMACC take out an average of $11,000 in student loans while working on their egree. 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

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The excellent programs at Iowa State University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best liberal arts general studies schools in Iowa. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State is a public college with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, liberal arts graduates from Iowa State carry an average student debtload of $30,882. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $210.

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#6

Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, IA

Iowa Western Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa list. Iowa Western Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Council Bluffs.

After completing their degree, liberal arts graduates from Iowa Western Community College carry an average student debtload of $12,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $97, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#7

Southeastern Community College

West Burlington, IA

Southeastern Community College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best liberal arts general studies programs. Located in the remote town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public college with a small student population.

While working on their degree, liberal arts majors at Southeastern Community College accumulate an average of around $9,051 in student debt.

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Eastern Iowa Community College District came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the midsize city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges take out is $11,000.

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#9

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA

University of Northern Iowa came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa ranking. UNI is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Cedar Falls.

The average amount in student loans that liberal arts majors at UNI take out is $28,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $113, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#10

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA

Kirkwood Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in Iowa ranking. Kirkwood Community College is a fairly large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids.

While working on their degree, liberal arts majors at Kirkwood Community College accumulate an average of around $12,000 in student debt. 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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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 20 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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