1853 as the "Cedar Rapids Collegiate Institute", it was a co-educational institution. In 1875, the college was reestablished as "Coe College Institute" and in 1881, after a private donation from T. M. Sinclair, founder of the Sinclair Meat Packing Company, was finally founded as "Coe College".
Coe was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1907. In 1910, Presbyterian clergyman John Abner Marquis became president and initiated a period of growth that lasted for several years; Marquis was a sought-after speaker and served as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, its highest office.
== Academics ==
Coe College awards the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.). Coe offers more than 60 areas of study and provides the option for students to create their own major under the guidance of faculty members. Its three most popular majors, based on 2021 graduates, were Business Administration and Management (36 graduates), …
