Best colleges for Business Administration in Iowa
Ranked by graduate earnings
William Penn University, Saint Ambrose University and Iowa State University are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. William Penn University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,162, College Scorecard. University of Iowa, Iowa State University and Upper Iowa University award the most Business Administration degrees in Iowa: 935, 321 and 236 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 44 Iowa colleges offer Business Administration and award 3,672 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $62,162 | 72 | 33% | $21,533 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $60,163 | 44 | 61% | $21,680 | $35,135 |
| 3 | Iowa State University Ames Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,188 | 321 | 75% | — | $22,250 |
| 4 | Upper Iowa University Fayette Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,854 | 236 | 34% | $22,697 | $34,453 |
| 5 | Briar Cliff University Sioux City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,784 | 34 | 48% | $21,731 | $25,191 |
| 6 | Central College Pella Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,760 | 36 | 66% | $19,732 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public · Bachelor's degree | $51,690 | 146 | 68% | — | $19,500 |
| 8 | University of Dubuque Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,268 | 112 | 40% | $21,324 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Luther College Decorah Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,491 | 25 | 71% | $22,827 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Northwestern College Orange City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,515 | 46 | 66% | $22,419 | $23,250 |
Top 3 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids Public · Associate degree | $37,385 | 123 | 43% | — | $16,190 |
| 2 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Public · Associate degree | $35,852 | 151 | 39% | — | $10,811 |
| 3 | Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar Public · Certificate | $29,018 | 56 | 51% | — | $20,635 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Iowa
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public | 935 | $46,264 |
| 2 | Iowa State University Ames Public | 321 | $57,188 |
| 3 | Upper Iowa University Fayette Private not-for-profit | 236 | $55,854 |
| 4 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public | 146 | $51,690 |
| 5 | University of Dubuque Dubuque Private not-for-profit | 112 | $50,268 |
| 6 | Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs Public | 110 | Not reported |
| 7 | Drake University Des Moines Private not-for-profit | 104 | $47,806 |
| 8 | Southeastern Community College West Burlington Public | 91 | Not reported |
| 9 | Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport Public | 78 | Not reported |
| 10 | William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit | 72 | $62,162 |
ShowHide the other 34 Iowa colleges offering Business Administration
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waldorf University | Forest City | Private not-for-profit | 169 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 151 |
| Maharishi International University (Online) | Fairfield | Private not-for-profit | 131 |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 123 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 68 |
| Morningside University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 64 |
| Buena Vista University | Storm Lake | Private not-for-profit | 62 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 56 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 54 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City | Private not-for-profit | 46 |
| Coe College | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 45 |
| Grand View University | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | Private not-for-profit | 44 |
| Central College | Pella | Private not-for-profit | 36 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College | Sheldon | Public | 36 |
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 34 |
| Graceland University - Lamoni | Lamoni | Private not-for-profit | 33 |
| Loras College | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Ellsworth Community College | Iowa Falls | Public | 23 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Estherville | Public | 23 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 22 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 21 |
| Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa | Public | 17 |
| Marshalltown Community College | Marshalltown | Public | 17 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Southwestern Community College | Creston | Public | 16 |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public | 15 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | Ankeny | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Wartburg College | Waverly | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Cornell College | Mount Vernon | Private not-for-profit | 7 |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 6 |
| Emmaus Bible College | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Iowa
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Iowa.
Which Iowa colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
University of Iowa (935 graduates a year), Iowa State University (321 graduates a year) and Upper Iowa University (236 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 44 Iowa colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Iowa?+
By graduate earnings, William Penn University leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $62,162, College Scorecard. Saint Ambrose University and Iowa State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Iowa is the largest, with 935 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, William Penn University tops the list at $62,162. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Iowa?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Iowa is $106,800 (median $87,690), across about 30,760 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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