AP Physics C: Mechanics credit at Iowa colleges
Every Iowa college with a published AP Physics C: Mechanics credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
Quick answer
13 of 26 Iowa colleges (50%) award credit for AP Physics C: Mechanics at a score of 3. 13 require a 4 and 0 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at University of Northern Iowa (4 credit hours). 26 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls | 3 | 4 | PHYSICS 1701 | Policy |
 Saint Ambrose University Davenport | 3 | 4 | PHYS 251 | Policy |
 Upper Iowa University Fayette | 3 | 4 | Natural Science General Education | Policy |
 University of Dubuque Dubuque | 3 | 4 | PHY 151 General Physics I | Policy |
 Grand View University Des Moines | 3 | 4 | Phys-nwl (Core Natural World) | Policy |
 Wartburg College Waverly | 3 | 1 | PHY 203 Classical Physics I | Policy |
 Buena Vista University Storm Lake | 3 | 3 | Physical Science for gen ed | Policy |
 Morningside University Sioux City | 3 | 4 | — | Policy |
 Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids | 3 | 3 | PH 151 | Policy |
 Simpson College Indianola | 3 | 4 | PHYS 191 | Policy |
 Loras College Dubuque | 3 | 4 | PHY-210 | Policy |
 Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines | 3 | 3 | Natural Sciences Gen Ed | Policy |
| 3 | 4 | PHYS1410 | Policy | |
| 4 | 5 | Physics 2310, 2310L | Policy | |
 University of Iowa Iowa City | 4 | 4 | PHYS 1611 | Policy |
 Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids | 4 | 5 | PHY 212 | Policy |
 Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs | 4 | 5 | PHY 210 Classical Physics I PHY 211 Classical Physics I Lab | Policy |
 Drake University Des Moines | 4 | 4 | PHY 001 | Policy |
 Grinnell College Grinnell | 4 | 4 | PHY-131 | Policy |
 Dordt University Sioux Center | 4 | 3 | Physics 231 | Policy |
 Luther College Decorah | 4 | 4 | Science 139 | Policy |
NIAC North Iowa Area Community College Mason City | 4 | 5 | — | Policy |
 Coe College Cedar Rapids | 4 | 1 | PHY 185 | Policy |
 Northwestern College Orange City | 4 | 4 | PHY211SN | Policy |
 Cornell College Mount Vernon | 4 | 1 | PHY 225 | Policy |
 Central College Pella | 4 | 5 | PHYS 111 General Physics I (NS, EXP3) | Policy |
AP Physics C: Mechanics credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Iowa college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Iowa colleges give credit for AP Physics C: Mechanics?+
26 colleges in Iowa publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Physics C: Mechanics. 13 of them (50%) award credit at a score of 3, 13 require a 4, and 0 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Physics C: Mechanics score that earns credit in Iowa?+
3. University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls awards credit at a score of 3, worth 4 credit hours, counting as PHYSICS 1701. 13 Iowa colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Iowa?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Iowa AP credit policies?+
26 of the 26 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.