Coe College

1220 First Ave NE - Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
  • Region: Plains States
  • Campus Setting: City
  • Size: Small

Coe College offers superb academics in more than 60 areas of study as well as hundreds of extracurricular activities in a thriving urban setting that promotes student growth and success. With a student body size of 1,400, Coe has a national reputation for academic excellence enhanced by a student-centered, highly supportive campus environment. Coe consistently ranks as a top college by national publications, including…

  • #1 private college in Iowa for the combination of low cost to attend and high income after graduation (The New York Times)

  • #7 most accessible professors in the U.S. (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • #12 private college for internships (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • #8 best career services in the nation (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • Top 1% of private colleges nationwide for internships and career services (The Princeton Review)

Every first-year student is assigned a Success Coach, so students will start college with someone by their side. Students won't be expected to know everything about Coe or the college transition, so their coach will introduce them to resources and ensure they're aware of important dates as they begin life as a Kohawk.

At Coe, our connections become your connections. With the #8 Best Career Services in the nation, Coe will connect you to business partners for internships and with 4,000+ successful alumni in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, area, and many more around the world, for mentoring.

Coe College is located in the Perfect College Town. Cedar Rapids is Iowa's second-largest city with a metro area population of 267,000. From Coe’s position in the heart of Cedar Rapids, endless opportunities for entertainment, jobs and internship opportunities are within walking distance.

When you graduate from Coe, you’ll leave with more than a degree. Build a resume demonstrating real experience, lock in references who are industry insiders and practice savvy interpersonal skills that impress employers. In fact, 100% of Kohawks are guaranteed an internship, research opportunity or off-campus study program before graduation. Post-graduation, nearly 100% of reporting graduates are employed or in grad school within nine months.

Admitted students, and all students interested in life as a Kohawk, are invited to schedule a visit to Coe College to meet with their admission counselor about scholarship opportunities (up to full tuition), tour campus and connect with current students and faculty.

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About Coe College

Coe College is a national, residential liberal arts college offering a broad array of programs in the arts, sciences and professions. Our mission is to prepare students for meaningful lives and fulfilling careers in a diverse, interconnected world. Coe's success will be judged by the success of our graduates.

For 1,400 students pursuing over 60 different areas of study, Coe College redefines the liberal arts with a hands-on component. In addition to major and general education coursework, Coe students are guaranteed an internship, research project, practicum or off-campus study program before graduation. Coe College is one of the few liberal arts institutions in the country to promise hands-on learning.

Coe consistently ranks as a top college by national publications, including…

  • #1 private college in Iowa for the combination of low cost to attend and high income after graduation (The New York Times)

  • #7 most accessible professors in the U.S. (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • #12 private college for internships (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • #8 best career services in the nation (#1 in Iowa) (The Princeton Review)

  • Top 1% of private colleges nationwide for internships and career services (The Princeton Review)

In recent years, Coe students have interned at the Chicago Board of Trade, GreatAmerica Leasing, Google, Mayo Clinic, Collins Aerospace, FOX Sports and elsewhere. Others have completed research on Coe's campus through the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates program or the Department of Business and Economics' Spellman Summer Research Program. Still others have combined travel with an internship in South Africa or student teaching in Tanzania for an unforgettable off-campus experience.

Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Coe is home to one of the country's largest undergraduate, student-run writing centers. A writing-across-the-curriculum structure provides students with the written communication skills needed for after-graduation success.

Mission Statement

We believe that a liberal arts education is the best preparation for life. We believe that such an education allows students to discover what their real talents and interests are, and that it develops in them the skills, abilities, and habits of mind that will make possible a successful career in any field of endeavor, including ones that do not yet exist.

Indeed, we believe that what defines a liberal arts education is its focus on cultivating in students certain fundamental abilities: the ability to think logically and analytically; the ability to communicate clearly, both in writing and speaking; the ability to use effectively computer technology; the ability to work productively as a member of a group seeking to achieve a common objective; the ability to make informed judgments, whether in the realm of ethical behavior or in that of aesthetic appreciation; the ability to foster and sustain an attitude of intellectual curiosity and creativity; and the ability to recognize and honor true excellence when found in any form or context.

Furthermore, we believe that it is important for a liberal arts education to cultivate in students a desire to understand, a capacity for tolerance, and an ability to appreciate the ethnic and cultural diversity that make up humankind. It is the mission of the College to develop in students these abilities and attitudes, and in so doing to provide them an education that directs them toward a meaningful and successful life.