Iowa is home to a diverse range of colleges and universities, offering exceptional academic programs and exciting football programs. Every year, tons of prospective college students want to find out which colleges in Iowa with football are the best ones to attend.
In this BrokeScholar article, we will take a closer look at 24 Iowa colleges, highlighting their academic strengths and the accomplishments of their football programs. From small liberal arts colleges to large research universities, Iowa offers a wide array of educational opportunities for students seeking a quality education and a vibrant football culture.
Colleges in Iowa with Football
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there are 24 colleges in Iowa with football on the varsity level. In terms of the athletic sanction body these colleges compete in, they range from NAIA Division II all the way up to NCAA Division I-FBS. For this study, we broke up the colleges by the athletic division they compete in.
Colleges in Iowa with Football: NAIA Division I
Five out of the 24 colleges in Iowa with football compete in NAIA Division I. Below are the best colleges in Iowa with football that play in NAIA Division I. Identification of the best colleges was based on a combination of graduation rates, admission rates, cost to attend, and other factors.
1. William Penn University
William Penn University, located in Oskaloosa, offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. The Statesmen football team competes in the NAIA and has enjoyed success in recent years. William Penn University is a private not-for-profit college, having a little over 1,300 undergraduate students and more than 1,370 students in total. Admission to William Penn is on the more competitive side, with the university having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 58%. Unfortunately, its graduation rate is wanting, at 32%, which is well below the 60% average for all 24 colleges in Iowa with football.
2. Morningside University
Morningside University in Sioux City provides a strong liberal arts education with an emphasis on professional programs. The school is home to over 1,200 undergraduates and more than 2,300 students in total. The Mustangs football team competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and has achieved great success, including multiple national championships. In the 2022-2023 season, the Morningside Mustangs finished with an overall record of 11 and 1, with a perfect record of 10 wins to zero losses in the conference. With a graduation rate of 54%, Morningside University is slightly below the study’s overall average graduation rate of 60%. On the other hand, admission to the university is slightly more competitive, with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 74%, which is more selective than the study’s overall average of 79%.
3. Clarke University
Situated in Dubuque, Clarke University offers a wide variety of academic programs with a focus on professional development. A small college, Clarke University has only around 700 undergraduates and approximately 888 students in total. This makes for an excellent student-to-teacher ratio of 8 students to every one teacher. The Clarke Pride football team competes in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) and has had success in recent years. However, in the 2022-2023 season, the Clarke Pride football team finished under 500, with a record of 3-8, with no wins in its conference. Clarke University has the same graduation rate as Morningside, at 54%, and is thus slightly below-average. Additionally, admission to Clarke University is less competitive than Morningside University or William Penn University, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 89%.
4. Grand View University
Grand View University, located in Des Moines, offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of disciplines. As a private not-for-profit college, Grand View University has a student population of over 1,700, of which about 1,500 are undergraduates. The school offers programs that result in undergraduate certificates up to master’s degrees. The school has an open admissions policy and possesses a graduation rate of 51%, which isn’t too bad considering how unselective Grand View is when it comes to admissions. Like Clarke University, the Grand View Vikings football team competes in Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) and has a strong football tradition, including several national championships. In the 2022-2023 season, the Vikings finished with an excellent 13 wins to 1 loss, with no losses suffered against teams within their conference.
5. Iowa Wesleyan University
Iowa Wesleyan University, located in Mount Pleasant, provides a liberal arts education with a focus on community engagement. Iowa Wesleyan is a small college, on par with Clarke University’s size, having just over 750 undergraduate students and over 800 students in total. Although admission to Iowa Wesleyan is harder than Grand View, with the former having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 82%, Iowa Wesleyan’s graduation rate is a very weak 23%. Not surprisingly, the transfer-out rate is relatively high, at 44%. The Iowa Wesleyan Tigers football team competed in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) before leaving the conference in 2020.
Colleges in Iowa with Football: NAIA Division II
The next for colleges in Iowa with football is competing in NAIA Division II. Once again, there are five Iowa colleges out of 24 that compete in this division. They are listed below in order of the best score to the worst.
1. Dordt University
Situated in Sioux Center, Dordt University offers a comprehensive Christian education with a wide range of academic programs. Out of the 272 bachelor’s degrees awarded in the last academic year, the most popular majors included: Elementary Education and Teaching, with 27 degrees awarded; Mechanical Engineering, with 19 degrees awarded; and Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, with 17 degrees awarded. Dordt University boasts a better-than-average graduation rate of 74%, superior to the study’s overall average of 60%. Admission to Dordt is also on the more competitive side, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 73% versus the study’s average of 79%. The Dordt Defenders football team competes in the GPAC and has enjoyed success in both the regular season and the playoffs. In the 2022-2023 season, they finished with a record of 7 wins to 3 losses, notably sporting a perfect record when playing as the away team.
2. Saint Ambrose University
At home in Davenport, Saint Ambrose University offers a wide range of academic programs with an emphasis on professional development. The school has an undergraduate population of over 2,200 and more than 2,900 students in total. The university’s graduation rate of 64% is slightly better than the study’s overall average. And its admission rate of 72% is more competitive than the 79% average for all 24 colleges in Iowa with football. The Fighting Bees football team competes in the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) and has had success in recent years. However, in the 2022-2023 season, the Fighting Bees came up very short, with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses.
3. Graceland University-Lamoni
Graceland University in Lamoni provides a liberal arts education with an emphasis on experiential learning and spiritual development. In terms of programs offered, Graceland University awards degrees ranging from undergraduate certificates to doctoral degrees. Health and sciences are popular at Graceland, with Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse majors garnering 69 bachelor’s degrees last academic year. Majoring in psychology is also quite popular at the school as well. Admission to Graceland is more selective than average, with the university having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 67%. The Graceland University Yellowjackets football team competes in the HAAC and finished out the 2022-2023 season with a record below 500, racking up 4 wins to 7 losses.
4. Northwestern College
Northwestern College, located in Orange City, offers a comprehensive education rooted in the Christian faith. It is home to a little over 1,000 undergraduates and more than 1,500 students in total. On the academic front, Northwestern College sports a better-than-average graduation rate of 71%. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 83%, admission to Northwestern College is less competitive than the study’s overall average. The Red Raiders football team competes in the GPAC and has a tradition of excellence, with numerous conference championships. Indeed, in the 2022-2023 season, the Red Raiders finished with a superb record of 13 wins and 1 loss, with no losses suffered when playing at home.
5. Briar Cliff University
Located in Sioux City, Briar Cliff University offers a strong liberal arts education with an emphasis on professional programs. Even for private not-for-profit colleges, Briar Cliff University is quite small, having a little over 760 undergraduate students and about 1,000 students in total. The admission rate at Briar Cliff is 100%, while the graduation rate is 56%, just four percentage points less than the study’s overall average. The football program, the Briar Cliff Chargers, competes in the (GPAC) and has a history of success, with several conference championships to its name. However, in its most recent season, 2022-2023, the Chargers finished with a poor record of just 1 win and 10 losses.
Colleges in Iowa with Football: NCAA Division III
There are a total of nine colleges out of the 24 with football in Iowa that compete in NCAA Division III. Below, you’ll find these colleges listed in order from best to worst in terms of our scoring system.
1. Central College
Known for its strong undergraduate programs, Central College in Pella offers a broad range of majors and minors. Notably, however, Central College is strictly for bachelor’s degrees, having a total student population of nearly 1,140 undergraduates. Central College maintains a graduation rate of 66%, which beats out the study’s overall average. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 75%, admission to Central College is slightly more competitive than the 79% overall average for the study. One of the best features of Central College is its affordability, with tuition and required fees costing approximately $19,800 per academic year. The Dutch football team, a member of the American Rivers Conference (ARC), has a tradition of excellence and has won numerous conference titles. In the 2022-2023 season, the Central College Dutch finished with 7 wins and 3 losses.
2. Loras College
Situated in Dubuque, Loras College is known for its strong liberal arts programs, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. In the last academic year, the most popular major in terms of bachelor’s degrees awarded was Sport and Fitness Administration/Management, with 28 degrees conferred. The graduation rate at Loras College is a solid 68%, while its undergraduate acceptance rate of 72% makes admission to the college more selective than the study’s overall average for all colleges in Iowa with football. The Loras College Duhawks football team competes in the ARC and has a rich football tradition, including conference championships and successful alumni. In the 2022-2023 season, however, the Duhawks finished with a record of exactly 500, with 5 wins and 5 losses.
3. Buena Vista University
Buena Vista University, located in Storm Lake, provides a comprehensive education with a focus on experiential learning. Home to around 1,500 undergraduate students and nearly 2,000 students in total, Buena Vista University is a private not-for-profit college that offers degrees on the bachelor’s and master’s levels. The graduation rate at Buena Vista is 63%, which is just above the study’s overall average. And in terms of admissions, Buena Vista’s undergraduate acceptance rate of 66% makes it one of the more competitive colleges in Iowa with football to get into. The Buena Vista Beavers football team competes in the ARC and has a passionate fan base supporting their games. Unfortunately, in the 2022-2023 season, the Beavers finished below 500, with 3 wins and 5 losses.
4. Luther College
Luther College, located in Decorah, offers a rigorous liberal arts education with a focus on sustainability and global engagement. Indeed, in terms of the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the last academic year, Biology/Biological Sciences, General, was one of the most popular majors, earning 31 degrees. All students at Luther College are undergraduates, numbering roughly 1,744 students. With a graduation rate of 73%, Luther College beats out the vast majority of the 24 colleges in Iowa with football. The main drawback of Luther College is that it’s on the more expensive side. Its estimated cost of tuition and required fees is $48,160 per academic year. The Luther College Norse football team competes in the ARC and has a history of success, including conference championships and NCAA playoff appearances. Sadly, this wasn’t reflected in the latest season, 2022-2023, when the Norse finished with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses.
5. Coe College
Coe College, located in Cedar Rapids, offers a rigorous liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on research and experiential learning. Coe College consists solely of undergraduates, with a total student population of a little under 1,400 students. Related to this is the fact that Coe College has an excellent student-to-teacher ratio of 9 students to every one instructor. The graduation rate at Coe College is 64%, which is slightly better-than-average. And its undergraduate acceptance rate of 73% is slightly more competitive than average. However, the cost to attend Coe College is on the high side, having an estimated cost of tuition and required fees of $50,664 per year. The Coe College Kohawks football team competes in the ARC and has a storied football history, including conference championships and NCAA playoff appearances. In the 2022-2023 season, the Kohawks finished with a very respectable record of 7 wins and 3 losses.
6. Wartburg College
Situated in Waverly, Wartburg College offers a strong liberal arts education with a focus on leadership and service. Its undergraduate population is around 1,500 students, with a total student population of over 1,540. Wartburg College offers degrees ranging from postgraduate certificates to master’s degrees. Wartburg College’s graduation rate of 70% is the second highest of the colleges in Iowa with football that compete in NCAA Division III. The Wartburg Knights football team competes in the ARC and has a tradition of success, including conference championships and NCAA playoff appearances. In fact, in the 2022-2023 season, the Knights finished with a record of 13 wins to 1 loss and a perfect record against teams within its conference.
7. Cornell College
Cornell College, located in Mount Vernon, is known for its unique One Course At A Time curriculum, allowing students to focus on one subject intensively for three and a half weeks. Cornell College has programs that result in bachelor’s degrees or master’s degrees, with an especially strong biomedical sciences program. The school is primarily an undergraduate school, having roughly 1,046 undergraduates out of 1,055 total students. The graduation rate at Cornell College is 64%, making it slightly better-than-average. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 81%, Cornell College is slightly less competitive than the study’s overall acceptance rate of 79%. The Cornell College Rams football team competes in the Midwest Conference and has had success in recent years, but didn’t finish the 2022-2023 season above 500, suffering 7 losses and garnering only 3 wins.
8. University of Dubuque
The University of Dubuque offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. In terms of degrees one can earn, the University of Dubuque offers programs ranging from postgraduate certificates to doctoral degrees. The school has just under 1,600 undergraduate students and around 2,000 students in total. While admission to the University of Dubuque is a tad more selective than the study’s overall average — 76% versus 79% — the school’s graduation rate of 40% is well below the study’s average of 60%. The University of Dubuque Spartans football team competes in the ARC and has achieved some success in recent years, including conference championships. For the 2022-2023 season, the Spartans finished just above 500, with 6 wins and 4 losses.
9. Simpson College
Simpson College, located in Indianola, provides a comprehensive education with a strong emphasis on experiential learning. Simpson College is a private not-for-profit school, with over 1,170 undergraduates and more than 1,200 students in total. Admission to Simpson College isn’t too competitive, as the school has an undergraduate acceptance rate of 91%. Its graduation rate, however, is better-than-average, at 69% versus 60% for all 24 colleges in Iowa with football. The Simpson College Storm football team competes in the ARC and has a dedicated fan base supporting their games. Unfortunately, in the 2022-2023 season, the Storm finished with an abysmal record of 1 win and 9 losses.
Colleges in Iowa with Football: NCAA Division II
There is only one college with football in Iowa that competes in NCAA Division II.
1. Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University provides a comprehensive education with a focus on professional development. Upper Iowa University notably offers excellent distance education programs on the undergraduate and graduate level. The school also accepts various forms of college credit, including dual credit, credit for life experiences, and AP credits. Although Upper Iowa University is on the more selective side when it comes to admissions, having an undergraduate acceptance rate of 65%, its graduation rate of 39% is well below the study’s overall average of 60%. The Upper Iowa Peacocks football team competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and finished out the 2022-2023 season with a very weak record of 1 and 10.
Colleges in Iowa with Football: NCAA Division I
Iowa is home to four colleges that compete in NCAA Division I. Three out of four of these colleges are public institutions, unlike the vast majority of colleges in Iowa with football, which are private not-for-profit schools.
1. Iowa State University
As a flagship research university located in Ames, Iowa State University offers a wide range of academic programs across various fields of study. Iowa State University is a big public university, being home to nearly 26,000 undergraduate students and more than 30,000 students in total. Engineering is particularly popular at Iowa State, with Mechanical Engineering racking up 406 bachelor’s degrees last academic year. It is also a great college for marketing, with studies in Marketing/Marketing Management, General, earning 272 bachelor’s degrees last academic year. Iowa State University also shines when it comes to academics, having a graduation rate of 76%, which is especially impressive for its huge size. The Iowa State Cyclones football team competes in the Big 12 Conference and has seen significant success in recent years, including bowl game victories. But the 2022-2023 season wasn’t that great for the Cyclones, who finished with 4 wins and 8 losses.
2. University of Iowa
As a renowned research university located in Iowa City, the University of Iowa offers a diverse range of academic programs. The school offers degree programs ranging from postgraduate certificates to doctoral degrees. The University of Iowa is another large public institution, with over 21,000 undergraduates and just under 30,000 students in total. Despite its huge size, the University of Iowa maintains a strong graduation rate of 74%. The undergraduate acceptance rate is 86%, making it less selective than the study’s overall average of 79%. The Iowa Hawkeyes football team competes in the Big Ten Conference and has a storied history, including multiple conference championships and bowl game appearances. In the 2022-2023 season, the Hawkeyes finished with a record of 8 wins to 5 losses.
3. University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa, located in Cedar Falls, offers a strong liberal arts education with a focus on professional programs. This university is also a public university, hosting nearly 8,000 undergraduate students and over 9,200 students overall. Northern Iowa sports a graduation rate of 69%, which puts it ahead of the study’s overall average. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 86%, getting into the University of Northern Iowa is less competitive than the study’s average acceptance rate of 79%. The University of Northern Iowa Panthers football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) and has attained success over the years, including conference championships and playoff appearances. For the 2022-2023 season, the Panthers finished slightly above 500, with 6 wins and 5 losses.
4. Drake University
Located in Des Moines, Drake University is known for its strong professional programs, particularly in business, law, and pharmacy. Indeed, in the last academic year, 108 doctoral degrees in Law were awarded while 81 were awarded in its Pharmacy program. Drake University is a private not-for-profit college, with around 2,900 undergraduate students and over 4,800 students overall. Of all 24 colleges in Iowa with football on the varsity level, Drake University boasts the best graduation rate at 78%. On the admissions side, Drake University has an undergraduate acceptance rate of 69%, making it markedly more competitive to get into than other colleges on our list. The Drake Bulldogs football team competes in the Pioneer Football League (PFL) and has a dedicated following among students and alumni. For the 2022-2023 season, however, the Bulldogs finished with an underwhelming 3 wins and 8 losses.
The Bottom Line on Colleges in Iowa With Football
Iowa's colleges and universities provide a wide range of academic programs and vibrant football cultures, offering students the opportunity to pursue their academic passions while enjoying a thrilling football experience. Whether you're looking for a liberal arts education, professional programs, or a research-intensive curriculum, Iowa's colleges have something to offer. So, whether you're a student interested in academics or a football enthusiast, Iowa's educational institutions provide a rich and rewarding experience.
