Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

11 Best Universities in Iowa State for Optics

Focusing specifically on Optics, our data science engine identified the 11 most influential universities in Iowa State. To determine these leaders, we isolated 387.2K specialized research publications which collectively generated 12.1M citations. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

Ames

Iowa State University

For Optics

#46 in United States #51 in North America

89% Acceptance

25,628 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

2

Iowa City

University of Iowa

For Optics

#58 in United States #64 in North America

84% Acceptance

22,738 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

3

Cedar Rapids

For Optics

#761 in United States #823 in North America

64% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1180 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

4

Pella

Central College

For Optics

#970 in United States #1037 in North America

86% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1088 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

5

Sioux Center

For Optics

#966 in United States #1033 in North America

68% Acceptance

1,716 Enrollment

1200 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

6

Fairfield, IA

Maharishi University of Management

For Optics

#902 in United States #967 in North America

96% Acceptance

922 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

7

Des Moines, IA

Des Moines University – Osteopathic Medical Center

For Optics

#895 in United States #960 in North America

23% Acceptance

2,109 Enrollment

1336 Avg SAT

1898 Founded

8

Decorah

For Optics

#915 in United States #980 in North America

72% Acceptance

1,384 Enrollment

1242 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

9

Grinnell

Grinnell College

For Optics

#576 in United States #630 in North America

15% Acceptance

1,788 Enrollment

1475 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

10

Des Moines, IA

Drake University

For Optics

#385 in United States #432 in North America

64% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1881 Founded

11

Cedar Falls

University of Northern Iowa

For Optics

#392 in United States #439 in North America

93% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1150 Avg SAT

1876 Founded