The average graduation rate of Iowa colleges is 63.36%. It means that 63.36% of students have completed their studies within 150% of program length.
For the bachelor's degree (BS) in 4-year Iowa colleges, the average graduation rate is 63.12%, which means 63.12% of students earned BS degree in 6 years after enrolling first year.
In Iowa 2-year institutions (i.e. community colleges), the average graduation rate is 53.05%.
For Iowa colleges, Divine Word College has the highest graduation rate of 100.00% among 4-year colleges. For Iowa community colleges, Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines has the highest graduation rate of 80.95%.
The following table compares graduation rates between Iowa colleges. For 4-year colleges, the rates are based on the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, which typically requires 4 years of study. Therefore, 100% normal time means 4-year, 125% normal time means 5-years, and the 150% normal time means 6 years.
For community colleges (2-4 year schools) and trade schools, the completion time to measure graduation rates vary depending on the length of the program. For example, 150% normal time for 1-year certificate programs is 18 months and 3 years for 2-years associate degree.
| School | Graduation Rate (Completers) | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In 100% Normal Time | In 125% Normal Time | In 150% Normal Time | |||
| Allen College4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Briar Cliff University4-Year College, private | 35.91% | 44.75% | 47.51% | - | 64% |
| Buena Vista University4-Year College, private | 53.73% | 60.70% | 61.69% | - | 76% |
| Capri College-DubuqueTrade School | 26.42% | - | 73.58% | - | 86% |
| Capri College-Cedar RapidsTrade School | 22.50% | - | 65.00% | - | 92% |
| Central College4-Year College, private | 56.83% | 64.39% | 66.19% | 30% | 80% |
| Clarke University4-Year College, private | 44.39% | 55.10% | 56.12% | 39% | 67% |
| Coe College4-Year College, private | 59.29% | 65.90% | 65.90% | 20% | 73% |
| Cornell College4-Year College, private | 58.45% | 60.81% | 61.82% | 25% | 80% |
| Des Moines Area Community CollegeCommunity College | 29.56% | - | 39.17% | 17% | 63% |
| Divine Word College4-Year College, private | 100.00% | - | 100.00% | - | 33% |
| Dordt University4-Year College, private | 67.27% | 72.97% | 73.57% | - | 85% |
| Drake University4-Year College, private | 65.64% | 71.81% | 72.98% | - | 84% |
| University of Dubuque4-Year College, private | 30.06% | 37.19% | 40.08% | 45% | 77% |
| Ellsworth Community CollegeCommunity College | 33.80% | - | 37.50% | 29% | 64% |
| Emmaus Bible College4-Year College, private | 43.59% | 53.85% | 56.41% | 13% | 83% |
| Eastern Iowa Community College DistrictCommunity College | 32.19% | - | 45.41% | 15% | 59% |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary4-Year College, private | 58.33% | 62.50% | 64.58% | - | 77% |
| Graceland University-Lamoni4-Year College, private | 36.33% | 40.82% | 41.95% | 11% | 55% |
| Grand View University4-Year College, private | 45.40% | 52.45% | 53.99% | 21% | 70% |
| Grinnell College4-Year College, private | 74.73% | 87.69% | 88.12% | - | 93% |
| Orion Technical College4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hawkeye Community CollegeCommunity College | 35.79% | - | 43.29% | 13% | 63% |
| American Hair AcademyTrade School | 31.25% | - | 43.75% | 6% | 58% |
| Indian Hills Community CollegeCommunity College | 35.41% | - | 40.12% | 11% | 59% |
| Iowa Central Community CollegeCommunity College | 35.01% | - | 41.58% | - | 52% |
| Iowa Lakes Community CollegeCommunity College | 43.89% | - | 50.00% | 14% | 61% |
| UnityPoint Health-Des Moines School of Radiologic TechnologyCommunity College | - | - | - | - | - |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Des MoinesCommunity College | 80.95% | - | 80.95% | - | 44% |
| Iowa State University4-Year College, public | 56.69% | 73.12% | 75.32% | 19% | 88% |
| Iowa Western Community CollegeCommunity College | 33.01% | - | 39.98% | 22% | 57% |
| University of Iowa4-Year College, public | 58.21% | 72.43% | 74.63% | 17% | 90% |
| Kirkwood Community CollegeCommunity College | 33.29% | - | 42.95% | 8% | 71% |
| La James International College-Cedar FallsTrade School | - | - | 70.59% | - | 95% |
| La James International College-JohnstonTrade School | - | - | - | - | 88% |
| La James College of Hairstyling and CosmetologyCommunity College | 76.47% | - | 76.47% | - | 91% |
| La James International College-Ft DodgeTrade School | - | - | - | - | 93% |
| Loras College4-Year College, private | 43.85% | 63.69% | 67.60% | - | 82% |
| Luther College4-Year College, private | 60.83% | 70.76% | 71.12% | 13% | 77% |
| Maharishi International University4-Year College, private | 38.89% | 44.44% | 50.00% | - | 61% |
| Marshalltown Community CollegeCommunity College | 31.53% | - | 42.34% | 13% | 69% |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences4-Year College, private | 66.67% | - | 66.67% | 7% | 69% |
| Morningside University4-Year College, private | 41.45% | 49.86% | 50.14% | 10% | 74% |
| Mount Mercy University4-Year College, private | 54.39% | 54.81% | 57.74% | - | 73% |
| North Iowa Area Community CollegeCommunity College | 51.15% | - | 60.54% | 13% | 67% |
| University of Northern Iowa4-Year College, public | 47.36% | 65.62% | 67.92% | 22% | 82% |
| Northwestern College4-Year College, private | 54.61% | 65.68% | 66.05% | 13% | 73% |
| Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCommunity College | 42.82% | - | 51.44% | 7% | 62% |
| Northwest Iowa Community CollegeCommunity College | 52.63% | - | 57.89% | 8% | 73% |
| Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| Palmer College of Chiropractic4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| PCI Academy-AmesTrade School | - | - | - | - | 100% |
| Saint Ambrose University4-Year College, private | 54.87% | 60.44% | 61.03% | 30% | 76% |
| St Luke's College4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| La James International College-DavenportTrade School | 14.71% | - | 91.18% | - | 84% |
| Simpson College4-Year College, private | 51.39% | 63.06% | 63.33% | - | 81% |
| Southeastern Community CollegeCommunity College | 26.28% | - | 43.49% | 7% | 70% |
| Southwestern Community CollegeCommunity College | 55.81% | - | 59.30% | 16% | 68% |
| Capri College-DavenportTrade School | 35.56% | - | 82.22% | - | 94% |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux CityCommunity College | 72.22% | - | 72.22% | - | 74% |
| SOHO Hair AcademyCommunity College | - | - | 76.47% | - | 83% |
| Upper Iowa University4-Year College, private | 25.00% | 32.22% | 33.33% | 36% | 68% |
| Waldorf University4-Year College, private | 20.86% | 23.93% | 23.93% | - | 44% |
| Wartburg College4-Year College, private | 45.38% | 63.01% | 64.30% | 26% | 76% |
| Wartburg Theological Seminary4-Year College, private | - | - | - | - | - |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar FallsTrade School | 17.39% | - | 52.17% | - | 64% |
| Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeCommunity College | 33.57% | - | 49.55% | 7% | 64% |
| William Penn University4-Year College, private | 21.99% | 31.56% | 32.62% | - | 58% |
| Mercy-St Luke's School of Radiologic TechnologyCommunity College | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ross College-DavenportCommunity College | 30.43% | - | 65.22% | - | 10% |
| Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit LakeTrade School | 92.31% | - | 92.31% | - | 100% |
| Carlson College of Massage TherapyTrade School | 100.00% | - | 100.00% | - | - |
| Aveda Institute-Des MoinesTrade School | - | - | 87.50% | - | 89% |
| PCI Academy-Iowa CityTrade School | - | - | - | - | 92% |
| Body Wisdom Massage Therapy SchoolTrade School | 71.43% | - | 90.48% | - | 100% |