RANKING · 2024 ACS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most graduate degrees, Iowa cities

Iowa cities ranked by the share of adults 25+ holding a graduate or professional degree (2024 ACS). This list covers the 87 cities in Iowa that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 8.6%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Vinton, IA, up 37 places to #41.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGRADUATE DEGREEVS 2000

01▲1Ames, IAIA68,22031.8%+3.7 pts

02▼1Iowa City, IAIA76,22929.8%+2.0 pts

03▲2Clive, IAIA19,86126.0%+8.8 pts

04▼1Coralville, IAIA23,96024.0%+2.3 pts

05▲2Fairfield, IAIA9,22022.8%+6.2 pts

06▲3Bettendorf, IAIA40,71022.4%+9.2 pts

07▲5Johnston, IAIA25,06522.0%+6.8 pts

08▲2Cedar Falls, IAIA41,24021.5%+5.3 pts

09▲18Tiffin, IAIA7,15619.2%+12.3 pts

10▲3West Des Moines, IAIA74,22419.1%+4.9 pts

11▲13Grimes, IAIA17,40518.6%+11.1 pts

12▼8North Liberty, IAIA21,97618.4%+11.4 pts

13▲1Waverly, IAIA10,56118.3%+7.3 pts

14▼6Grinnell, IAIA9,43018.2%+7.4 pts

15▲2Polk City, IAIA6,63018.1%+12.2 pts

16▼1Waukee, IAIA34,89018.0%+9.8 pts

17▲2Urbandale, IAIA48,57018.0%+5.2 pts

18▲11Eldridge, IAIA6,95418.0%+7.3 pts

19▼8Decorah, IAIA7,41716.6%+5.0 pts

20▼2Ankeny, IAIA77,83316.1%+5.6 pts

21▲2Pella, IAIA10,99215.8%+6.2 pts

22▼16Asbury, IAIA6,03515.5%+7.4 pts

23▲19Windsor Heights, IAIA5,05914.3%+1.9 pts

24▼4Sergeant Bluff, IAIA5,32414.1%+8.2 pts

25▼9Sioux Center, IAIA8,86413.6%+2.8 pts

26▲18Bondurant, IAIA9,64713.6%+10.6 pts

27▼5Orange City, IAIA6,46813.5%+1.8 pts

28DeWitt, IAIA5,70413.0%+8.7 pts

29▲3Adel, IAIA7,09812.5%+8.4 pts

30▼5Dubuque, IAIA59,14812.1%+4.4 pts

31▲4Indianola, IAIA16,82911.9%+4.4 pts

32▲14Hiawatha, IAIA7,43211.6%+6.1 pts

33▼12Norwalk, IAIA15,00411.3%+4.3 pts

34▼4Marion, IAIA42,73211.2%+4.5 pts

35▲2Davenport, IAIA100,35810.9%+3.8 pts

36▼2Cedar Rapids, IAIA137,93510.9%+3.5 pts

37▼1Pleasant Hill, IAIA11,23910.8%+4.5 pts

38▼5Clear Lake, IAIA7,60110.7%+4.0 pts

39▲11Altoona, IAIA22,79610.4%+5.6 pts

40▼14Cherokee, IAIA5,1229.7%+5.8 pts

41▲37Vinton, IAIA5,0049.4%+3.6 pts

42▼4Des Moines, IAIA212,0869.3%+2.9 pts

43▲18Manchester, IAIA5,3579.3%+4.6 pts

44▼13Winterset, IAIA5,5208.6%+5.8 pts

45▲10Anamosa, IAIA5,9018.6%+5.3 pts

46▲27Washington, IAIA7,2618.5%+2.4 pts

47▲27Knoxville, IAIA7,4698.5%+5.5 pts

48▼7Ottumwa, IAIA25,3198.3%+2.9 pts

49▼4Nevada, IAIA6,9748.1%−0.8 pts

50▲2Mount Pleasant, IAIA8,5008.1%+2.5 pts

51▼11Independence, IAIA6,3128.1%+4.1 pts

52▲14Glenwood, IAIA5,2878.0%+4.0 pts

53▲6Spencer, IAIA11,2188.0%+4.7 pts

54▲16Newton, IAIA15,7418.0%+1.7 pts

55▼7Sioux City, IAIA86,3568.0%+1.6 pts

56▼7Iowa Falls, IAIA5,0137.8%+2.0 pts

57▼3Marshalltown, IAIA27,5367.5%+2.0 pts

58▼15Spirit Lake, IAIA5,5257.3%+3.3 pts

59▼2Council Bluffs, IAIA62,6807.3%+2.8 pts

60▼13Mason City, IAIA26,8537.3%+0.7 pts

61▲11Storm Lake, IAIA11,5907.2%+1.2 pts

62▲2Oelwein, IAIA5,7577.1%+3.3 pts

63▼12Webster City, IAIA7,8157.1%+2.1 pts

64▼2Carroll, IAIA10,0857.1%+2.8 pts

65Waterloo, IAIA66,9197.0%−0.1 pts

66▲10Clinton, IAIA24,0497.0%+2.5 pts

67Burlington, IAIA23,3366.9%+1.1 pts

68▼10Creston, IAIA7,3356.8%+3.2 pts

69▼16Oskaloosa, IAIA11,4936.6%+0.9 pts

70▲14Algona, IAIA5,3096.4%+2.0 pts

71▼8Boone, IAIA12,4716.3%+2.3 pts

72▲15Perry, IAIA8,2085.8%+2.7 pts

73▼34Atlantic, IAIA6,6765.6%−1.2 pts

74▼3Muscatine, IAIA23,1645.6%+0.8 pts

75▼15Fort Dodge, IAIA24,8375.6%−0.4 pts

76▲3Osceola, IAIA5,6795.5%+1.4 pts

77▲3Maquoketa, IAIA6,0275.4%+1.2 pts

78▼3Sheldon, IAIA5,5755.1%+1.0 pts

79▼2Clarinda, IAIA5,2734.7%−1.0 pts

80▲3Keokuk, IAIA9,5104.6%+0.2 pts

81▲4Denison, IAIA8,2144.6%+1.4 pts

82▼14Red Oak, IAIA5,3884.5%+0.7 pts

83▼27Le Mars, IAIA10,7604.5%+0.2 pts

84▼15Estherville, IAIA5,8074.0%0.0 pts

85▼3Fort Madison, IAIA9,9353.7%−0.2 pts

86Centerville, IAIA5,3273.2%−0.6 pts

87▼6Charles City, IAIA7,0133.0%−0.7 pts

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES