Iowa vs. Iowa State. Which school did the Wall Street Journal rank best for academics?

The competition between Iowa’s three Regent Universities spans further than athletics. While fans may sweat over the outcome of a game, Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa also compete for students and academics.

The Wall Street Journal scored and ranked the top 584 “eligible universities” in the country for 2026, with none of Iowa’s schools making the top 100.

How did the Wall Street Journal rank Iowa’s universities?

Once again, Iowa State University not only beat the University of Iowa, but it was the highest-ranked post-secondary school in the state for 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. Iowa State beat out Iowa in the 2025 ranking; however, both schools dropped in the overall score from the previous year.

The newest rankings placed Iowa at No. 141 on the list compared to 119th in 2025. Iowa dropped to 207 in 2026 from 162 last year, according to the Wall Street Journal. The University of Northern Iowa ranked 207.

Drake University also outperformed the University of Iowa, ranking 193.

How did the Wall Street Journal determine its best colleges list?

The Wall Street Journal evaluated student outcomes such as “salary impact score,” which compares graduate salaries to the cost of attending. It also looked at graduation rate, learning opportunities, preparation for a career, recommendation score, learning facilities and diversity. Each of these categories was scored on a 1 to 100 scale, with 100 being the best score. Schools were then compared and ranked based on the overall score.

How did Iowa’s Regent Universities’ scores compare?

Iowa State’s overall score was 72.6, while Iowa’s was 67.8. Both scores declined by roughly three points from the 2025 ranking.

The University of Northern Iowa’s overall score was 61.2, with a salary impact score of 63. The Panthers also received a score of 4 in diversity.

Iowa State and Iowa saw drops in diversity scores. Iowa State received a 41 in 2025 and scored an 18 in the recent Wall Street Journal report. The University of Iowa dropped to a score of 9 in 2026, down from 42 the previous year.

In 2024, Iowa’s three public universities redirected more than $2 million in funding from diversity, equity and inclusion offices and roles in response to a new state law.

The two regent universities also received a 77 score in the salary impact score in 2026. Iowa received an 83 in salary impact in 2025, while Iowa State scored 79 in the same year.

How did Iowa State University score in each category?

• Salary impact score: 77

• Graduation rate score: 85

• Diversity: 18

• Learning opportunities: 69

• Preparation for career: 73

• Learning facilities: 83

• Recommendation score: 80

How did the University of Iowa score?

• Salary impact score: 77

• Graduation rate score: 70

• Diversity: 9

• Learning opportunities: 66

• Preparation for career: 68

• Learning facilities: 79

• Recommendation score: 76

How did the University of Northern Iowa score?

• Salary impact score: 63

• Graduation rate score: 76

• Diversity: 4

• Learning opportunities: 64

• Preparation for career: 66

• Learning facilities: 80

• Recommendation score: 75

What are the best colleges, according to the Wall Street Journal?

1. Stanford University: 93

2. Babson College: 90.3

3. Yale University: 89.3

Kate Kealey is the growth and development reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa vs. Iowa State. See which the Wall Street Journal says is best.