2026 Best Ecology Schools in Iowa

Ecology degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools to find the best for ecology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Ecology Schools in Iowa

Best Schools for Ecology in Iowa

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall ecology education in Iowa.

Top Schools in Ecology

1

University Of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA

15 Ecology Degrees Awarded

$46,054 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than University Of Northern Iowa this year for ecology. This large public university is located in the city of Cedar Falls. University Of Northern Iowa graduates 68% of students within six years. There were roughly 15 ecology students who graduated with this degree at University Of Northern Iowa in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, ecology degree recipients from University Of Northern Iowa generally make around $46,054. University Of Northern Iowa graduates carry a median of $22,635 in student loans. Read more about the ecology program at University Of Northern Iowa

2

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

92 Ecology Degrees Awarded

$29,842 Median Starting Salary

Students looking for a strong ecology program will find one at Iowa State University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Ames, Iowa State University is a very large public university. About 75% of students finish within six years. Iowa State University awarded about 92 ecology degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the ecology program make about $29,842 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $24,347. See the full ecology program report for Iowa State University

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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 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.