Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Des Moines, IA
Population 700,000
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,700 (67%)
Days Without Precipitation 260 (74%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 2,548
Men / Women 39% / 61%
From State 44%
From Region 36%
Athletes 19.3%

Racial/Ethnic

White 68%
Hispanic 10%
Black 8%
Asian 5%
Mixed 5%
International 5%
Native American 0%

Schools & Majors

Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Drake University 750 38% / 62% 4% $73,851 69 95%
Artificial Intelligence 4 +5 100% / 0% 0% $97,361 92 100%
Computer Science 32 +6 72% / 28% 9% $97,361 92 100%
Data Analytics 21 +16 57% / 43% 10% $92,127 89
Astronomy 1 0% / 100% 0% $83,069 82
Chemistry 11 +1 55% / 45% 18% $68,453 58
Mathematics 11 +4 36% / 64% 0% $97,058 92 100%
Physics 2 +1 50% / 50% 0% $83,396 82
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 34 29% / 71% 3% $70,368 62 94%
Biology 14 +4 29% / 71% 7% $73,131 67 96%
Neuroscience 10 +1 10% / 90% 30% $70,712 63
Environmental Science 15 40% / 60% 0% $57,799 27
Environmental Studies 6 17% / 83% 0% $57,549 26
Zoology 5 0% / 100% 0% $54,584 19
Athletic Training 4 0% / 100% 0% $69,568 60
Exercise Science 11 +2 36% / 64% 0% $57,100 25
Health Sciences 37 24% / 76% 3% $76,730 74
Occupational Therapy 13 8% / 92% 0% $74,681 70
Pharmaceutical Sciences $76,386 73 97%
Public Health 3 +1 0% / 100% 0%
Accounting 12 +1 58% / 42% 0% $96,293 91 100%
Accounting and Finance 2 100% / 0% 0% $96,293 91 100%
Actuarial Science 29 79% / 21% 21% $125,814 99 96%
Advertising and Public Relations 8 +3 38% / 62% 0% $79,427 77 100%
Business Administration 21 +3 52% / 48% 0% $86,178 84 97%
Business Studies 8 75% / 25% 0% $97,644 92
Economics 6 +5 67% / 33% 17% $91,993 89 100%
Economics 4 +1 0% / 100% 0% $91,993 89 100%
Entrepreneurship 2 100% / 0% 0% $91,950 89
Finance 29 +5 72% / 28% 7% $107,159 96 94%
Finance and Financial Management $107,159 96
General Business 10 +2 60% / 40% 0% $99,137 93
Health Administration 4 25% / 75% 0% $81,521 80
International Business 5 +4 20% / 80% 40% $94,262 90
Management Sciences 6 +7 67% / 33% 33% $125,814 99 96%
Marketing 34 +5 56% / 44% 6% $87,711 86 99%
American Politics 7 +1 14% / 86% 0% $63,487 44 94%
Anthropology 4 0% / 100% 0% $54,342 18
Communication Studies 2 50% / 50% 0% $63,593 44
English 15 +3 13% / 87% 0% $59,320 32 83%
History 14 +8 36% / 64% 0% $50,162 11 85%
International Studies 16 +6 31% / 69% 12% $51,648 13 86%
Journalism 17 +6 41% / 59% 0% $60,478 35 97%
Philosophy 6 +1 67% / 33% 0% $56,629 24
Political Science 12 +2 50% / 50% 0% $63,487 44 94%
Psychology 41 +5 20% / 80% 0% $53,494 16 95%
Public Relations 28 +7 29% / 71% 0% $79,427 77 100%
Religious Studies $53,544 16
Rhetoric and Composition 6 +3 17% / 83% 0% $62,321 41 77%
Sociology 11 +6 18% / 82% 0% $54,283 18
Spanish 6 +9 17% / 83% 17% $53,533 16
Writing 8 38% / 62% 0% $62,321 41 77%
Elementary Education 15 7% / 93% 0% $54,192 18 95%
General Education 1 0% / 100% 0% $54,041 17
Mathematics Teacher Education 3 33% / 67% 0% $55,973 22
Secondary Education and Teaching 23 35% / 65% 0% $54,192 18 95%
Acting 3 33% / 67% 0% $37,958 2 100%
Art History 1 +1 0% / 100% 0% $40,894 3
Digital Media 20 +2 40% / 60% 0% $63,970 46
Drawing 3 +1 0% / 100% 0% $43,153 4
Graphic Design 10 30% / 70% 0% $59,447 32 100%
Music 1 +1 0% / 100% 0% $43,379 4 100%
Music Education 4 50% / 50% 0% $54,861 19
Music Performance 5 40% / 60% 0% $43,379 4 100%
Painting 2 0% / 100% 0% $43,220 4
Theater 1 +1 0% / 100% 0% $37,958 2 100%
Theatre Arts 12 17% / 83% 0% $37,958 2 100%
Visual and Performing Arts 2 50% / 50% 0% $39,326 3
Legal Studies 37 +11 19% / 81% 0% $60,793 36

Financial

Tuition & Fees $55,779
ROI Percentile 69th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 84%
4-Year Graduation Rate 66%
6-Year Graduation Rate 74%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

% Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 25.7% 193 28% / 72% 2% $59,819 33 92%
Business & Economics 24.0% 180 61% / 39% 8% $99,779 93 97%
Health Sciences 9.1% 68 21% / 79% 1% $72,557 66
Arts 8.5% 64 30% / 70% 0% $51,506 12 100%
Life & Natural Sciences 7.7% 58 26% / 74% 9% $71,094 63 95%
Computer Science 7.6% 57 68% / 32% 9% $95,433 91 100%
Education 5.6% 42 24% / 76% 0% $54,316 18 95%
Professional 4.9% 37 19% / 81% 0% $60,793 36
Agriculture & Food Science 3.5% 26 27% / 73% 0% $57,123 25
Physical Sciences & Math 3.3% 25 44% / 56% 8% $82,819 81 100%

Research

Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Education $0.5M #288 100% $0 48 #65
Humanities & Social Sciences $0.4M #408 27% $0
Physical Sciences & Math $0.2M #521 95% $0
Health Sciences $0.2M #342 11% $0.0M
Life & Natural Sciences $0.1M #514 96% $0
Agriculture & Food Science $0.1M #268 0% $0
Computer Science $0.0M #508 0% $0
Business & Economics $0 #456 $0
Engineering $0 #449 $0
Total $1.5M #526 63% $0.0M 48 #256

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 62%
Yield (Unbound) 10%
Early Decision 1 Nov 1
Early Action Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 65% 64% 55%

Early Action and Restrictive Early Action applicants are reported at the regular-decision rate.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 23%
SAT Range 1110 – 1350
SAT Math Range 530 – 670
SAT RW Range 580 – 680