Iowa · Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

Best colleges for Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods in Iowa

Ranked by graduate earnings

Drake University, University of Iowa and Saint Ambrose University are the top bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. Drake University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,044, College Scorecard. University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees in Iowa: 320, 142 and 140 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 Iowa colleges offer Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods and award 677 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program focuses on the application of analytical and quantitative techniques to solve complex business problems. This program is ideal for students interested in enhancing their…

Institutions
10
offering CIP 52.13
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
677
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$49,039
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
4
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,419
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
68%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$106,800
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 4 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Drake University
Des Moines Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$80,0443574%$28,855$23,979
2University of Iowa
Iowa City Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,32432075%—$21,500
3Saint Ambrose University
Davenport Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$49,0392561%$21,680$26,935
4Cornell College
Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$42,127462%$23,073—

Colleges awarding the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees in Iowa

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Iowa
Iowa City Public
320$70,324
2Iowa State University
Ames Public
142Not reported
3University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls Public
140Not reported
4Drake University
Des Moines Private not-for-profit
35$80,044
5Saint Ambrose University
Davenport Private not-for-profit
25$49,039
6Northwestern College
Orange City Private not-for-profit
6Not reported
7Cornell College
Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit
4$42,127
8Dordt University
Sioux Center Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
9Central College
Pella Private not-for-profit
1Not reported
10Wartburg College
Waverly Private not-for-profit
1Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in Iowa

Jobs in Iowa
30,760
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$106,800
median $87,690
Best-paying metro
$117,430
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$106,800 avg · 30,760 jobs
Management Analysts
$91,780 avg · 4,150 jobs
Chief Executives
$237,270 avg · 3,050 jobs
Data Scientists
$98,100 avg · 2,300 jobs
Insurance Underwriters
$83,220 avg · 1,490 jobs
Business Teachers, Postsecondary
$107,120 avg · 890 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in Iowa.

Which Iowa colleges award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees?+

University of Iowa (320 graduates a year), Iowa State University (142 graduates a year) and University of Northern Iowa (140 graduates a year) award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 Iowa colleges offer Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.

What is the best college for Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods in Iowa?+

By graduate earnings, Drake University leads among bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,044, College Scorecard. University of Iowa and Saint Ambrose University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Iowa is the largest, with 320 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Drake University tops the list at $80,044. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Iowa?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Iowa is $106,800 (median $87,690), across about 30,760 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program?+

The Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program focuses on the application of analytical and quantitative techniques to solve complex business problems. This program is ideal for students interested in enhancing their…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods in other statesDistrict of ColumbiaWisconsinMassachusettsUtahMinnesotaVirginiaNew HampshireNebraska

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card