Best Registered Nurse programs in Iowa, ranked by enrollment
Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients.
35 schools in Iowa run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,558 people a year. The job pays a median of $78,630 in Iowa across about 34,420 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Iowa that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
12 programs in Iowa that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Iowa (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Iowa page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nursemain feeder CIP 51.3801In Iowa → | 2,249 | 87.9% | 35 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 2 | Family Practice Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3805In Iowa → | 144 | 5.6% | 7 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 3 | Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3810In Iowa → | 52 | 2.0% | 4 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 4 | Nursing Practicemain feeder CIP 51.3818In Iowa → | 38 | 1.5% | 4 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 5 | Nursing Sciencemain feeder CIP 51.3808In Iowa → | 22 | 0.9% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 6 | Nursing Administrationmain feeder CIP 51.3802In Iowa → | 19 | 0.7% | 3 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 7 | Adult Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3803In Iowa → | 11 | 0.4% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 8 | Geriatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3821In Iowa → | 8 | 0.3% | 2 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 9 | Pediatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3809In Iowa → | 6 | 0.2% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 10 | Clinical Nurse Leadermain feeder CIP 51.3820In Iowa → | 4 | 0.2% | 2 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 11 | Critical Care Nursingmain feeder CIP 51.3814In Iowa → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
| 12 | CIP 51.3899In Iowa → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $71,623 | $25,750 |
Top 25 schools in Iowa
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 32 of the 35 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA Public · 9 feeder programs | 298 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $69,368 | 75% | — | 84% |
| 2 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 274 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $66,309 | 66% | $23,694 | 100% |
| 3 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 175 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $59,181 | 39% | — | — |
| 4 | Allen College Waterloo, IA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 145 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $65,924 | — | — | — |
| 5 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 136 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $64,461 | 43% | — | — |
| 6 | Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 122 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $62,338 | 45% | — | — |
| 7 | Graceland University - Lamoni Lamoni, IA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 122 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $66,955 | 42% | $16,430 | 81% |
| 8 | Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 102 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $65,268 | 40% | — | — |
| 9 | Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 97 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $56,562 | 42% | — | — |
| 10 | Morningside University Sioux City, IA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 91 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $68,397 | 50% | $22,816 | 71% |
| 11 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 90 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $66,647 | 58% | $23,054 | 83% |
| 12 | Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $63,214 | 50% | — | — |
| 13 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $66,151 | 61% | $21,680 | 77% |
| 14 | Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 73 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $58,835 | 43% | — | — |
| 15 | Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $57,546 | 51% | — | — |
| 16 | Southeastern Community College West Burlington, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $61,159 | 43% | — | — |
| 17 | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $70,224 | 34% | $22,697 | 96% |
| 18 | St Luke's College Sioux City, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $71,064 | 100% | $15,221 | 80% |
| 19 | North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 41 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $58,096 | 61% | — | — |
| 20 | Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 39 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | — | 48% | $21,731 | — |
| 21 | Grand View University Des Moines, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 36 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $64,042 | 54% | $20,840 | 99% |
| 22 | Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 36 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $62,453 | 58% | — | — |
| 23 | Luther College Decorah, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $75,533 | 71% | $22,827 | 72% |
| 24 | Southwestern Community College Creston, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $63,505 | 59% | — | — |
| 25 | Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville, IA Public · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | $61,157 | 50% | — | — |
All 35 schools in Iowa
Every school in Iowa with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa | Iowa City | Public | 298 | 9 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 274 | 1 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 175 | 1 |
| Allen College | Waterloo | Private not-for-profit | 145 | 6 |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 136 | 1 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 122 | 1 |
| Graceland University - Lamoni | Lamoni | Private not-for-profit | 122 | 5 |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public | 102 | 1 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 97 | 1 |
| Morningside University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 91 | 5 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 90 | 4 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 81 | 1 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | Private not-for-profit | 78 | 1 |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 73 | 1 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 63 | 1 |
What registered nurses earn in Iowa
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $97,550. Iowa pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Iowa
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Registered Nurses page.
How to become a Registered Nurse
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Iowa
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 21 majors mapped to Registered Nurses21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.3801Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- 51.3802Nursing Administration
- 51.3803Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3805Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3806Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3808Nursing Science
- 51.3809Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3810Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3811Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3812Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3813Clinical Nurse Specialist
- 51.3814Critical Care Nursing
- 51.3815Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
- 51.3816Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
- 51.3818Nursing Practice
- 51.3819Palliative Care Nursing
- 51.3820Clinical Nurse Leader
- 51.3821Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3822Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3824Forensic Nursing
- 51.3899Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other
Common questions
Answers for people weighing registered nurses programs in Iowa.
What degree do you need to become a Registered Nurse?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, which awarded 2,249 degrees in Iowa in 2024-25, 87.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Registered Nurse?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 12 programs to this occupation. The largest are Registered Nursing. Together they graduate about 2,558 people a year in Iowa.
How much do registered nurses earn in Iowa?+
The median is $78,630 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 19.4% below the U.S. median of $97,550. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for registered nurses growing?+
BLS projects a +4.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 189,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Iowa?+
35 institutions in Iowa reported graduates from at least one of the 12 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do registered nurses work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, APN (Advanced Practice Nurse), CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-1141.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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