Best Secondary School Teacher programs in Iowa, ranked by enrollment
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school.
45 schools in Iowa run programs that feed this job, graduating 3,670 people a year. The job pays a median of $61,200 in Iowa across about 12,310 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.
42 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 | CIP 26.0101In Iowa → | 732 | 19.9% | 39 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 54.0101In Iowa → | 299 | 8.1% | 31 | $31,217 | $24,000 |
| 3 | CIP 45.1001In Iowa → | 297 | 8.1% | 22 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 4 | CIP 23.0101In Iowa → | 255 | 6.9% | 27 | $29,622 | $24,546 |
| 5 | CIP 13.1314In Iowa → | 248 | 6.8% | 11 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 6 | CIP 27.0101In Iowa → | 222 | 6.0% | 23 | $48,772 | $21,544 |
| 7 | CIP 13.1205In Iowa → | 196 | 5.3% | 23 | $41,127 | $25,500 |
| 8 | CIP 40.0501In Iowa → | 185 | 5.0% | 23 | $42,620 | $23,900 |
| 9 | CIP 50.0901In Iowa → | 162 | 4.4% | 15 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 10 | CIP 50.0701In Iowa → | 161 | 4.4% | 15 | $24,447 | $25,294 |
| 11 | CIP 45.0601In Iowa → | 121 | 3.3% | 13 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 12 | CIP 40.0801In Iowa → | 105 | 2.9% | 14 | $47,156 | $23,490 |
| 13 | CIP 13.1312In Iowa → | 78 | 2.1% | 14 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 14 | CIP 16.0905In Iowa → | 66 | 1.8% | 13 | $34,541 | $22,748 |
| 15 | CIP 30.0101In Iowa → | 65 | 1.8% | 2 | $28,446 | $11,000 |
| 16 | CIP 13.1305In Iowa → | 50 | 1.4% | 5 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 17 | CIP 19.0101In Iowa → | 48 | 1.3% | 2 | $31,910 | $26,500 |
| 18 | CIP 13.1302In Iowa → | 44 | 1.2% | 5 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 19 | CIP 13.1317In Iowa → | 44 | 1.2% | 3 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 20 | CIP 13.1315In Iowa → | 42 | 1.1% | 5 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 21 | CIP 13.1401In Iowa → | 33 | 0.9% | 5 | $36,305 | $26,250 |
| 22 | CIP 13.1328In Iowa → | 31 | 0.8% | 5 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 23 | CIP 13.1321In Iowa → | 29 | 0.8% | 1 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 24 | CIP 13.1206In Iowa → | 24 | 0.7% | 4 | $41,127 | $25,500 |
| 25 | CIP 13.1316In Iowa → | 22 | 0.6% | 4 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 26 | CIP 45.0101In Iowa → | 20 | 0.5% | 2 | $35,590 | $24,095 |
| 27 | CIP 13.1311In Iowa → | 12 | 0.3% | 5 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 28 | CIP 16.0900In Iowa → | 11 | 0.3% | 1 | $34,541 | $22,748 |
| 29 | CIP 16.0501In Iowa → | 9 | 0.2% | 4 | $44,390 | $23,202 |
| 30 | CIP 16.0901In Iowa → | 9 | 0.2% | 3 | $34,541 | $22,748 |
| 31 | CIP 13.1203In Iowa → | 8 | 0.2% | 1 | $41,127 | $25,500 |
| 32 | CIP 13.1306In Iowa → | 8 | 0.2% | 2 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 33 | CIP 13.1318In Iowa → | 7 | 0.2% | 3 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 34 | CIP 16.0402In Iowa → | 7 | 0.2% | 2 | $60,240 | $5,500 |
| 35 | CIP 45.1002In Iowa → | 7 | 0.2% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 36 | CIP 16.1200In Iowa → | 4 | 0.1% | 2 | — | $22,560 |
| 37 | CIP 13.1330In Iowa → | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 38 | CIP 45.1099In Iowa → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 39 | CIP 13.1322In Iowa → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 40 | CIP 13.1323In Iowa → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 41 | CIP 16.0301In Iowa → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $27,331 | $20,685 |
| 42 | CIP 16.0902In Iowa → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $34,541 | $22,748 |
Top 25 schools in Iowa
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 18 of the 45 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 · 24 feeder programs | 914 | Political Science and Government, General | $39,133 | 75% | — | 84% |
| 2 | Iowa State University Ames, IA Public · 15 feeder programs | 501 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,528 | 75% | — | 89% |
| 3 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA Public · 20 feeder programs | 376 | Mathematics, General | $42,729 | 68% | — | 93% |
| 4 | Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Private not-for-profit · 13 feeder programs | 166 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,170 | 88% | $14,470 | 15% |
| 5 | Morningside University Sioux City, IA Private not-for-profit · 17 feeder programs | 151 | Secondary Education and Teaching | $48,478 | 50% | $22,816 | 71% |
| 6 | Drake University Des Moines, IA Private not-for-profit · 15 feeder programs | 143 | Secondary Education and Teaching | $41,630 | 74% | $28,855 | 64% |
| 7 | Wartburg College Waverly, IA Private not-for-profit · 15 feeder programs | 109 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,398 | 64% | $20,228 | 76% |
| 8 | Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City, IA Public · 6 feeder programs | 101 | Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | — | 50% | — | — |
| 9 | Luther College Decorah, IA Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs | 94 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $29,359 | 71% | $22,827 | 72% |
| 10 | Northwestern College Orange City, IA Private not-for-profit · 13 feeder programs | 83 | Computer Teacher Education | — | 66% | $22,419 | 80% |
| 11 | Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 77 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $41,112 | 66% | $18,153 | 64% |
| 12 | North Iowa Area Community College Mason City, IA Public · 2 feeder programs | 74 | Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | — | 61% | — | — |
| 13 | Simpson College Indianola, IA Private not-for-profit · 13 feeder programs | 67 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 63% | $20,710 | 86% |
| 14 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Public · 8 feeder programs | 66 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 15 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 64 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,825 | 61% | $21,680 | 77% |
| 16 | Cornell College Mount Vernon, IA Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs | 61 | History, General | — | 62% | $23,073 | 80% |
| 17 | Central College Pella, IA Private not-for-profit · 12 feeder programs | 57 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $26,933 | 66% | $19,732 | 86% |
| 18 | Palmer College of Chiropractic Davenport, IA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Biological and Physical Sciences | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 51 | Social Sciences, General | $56,221 | 34% | $22,697 | 96% |
| 20 | Dordt University Sioux Center, IA Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 47 | Secondary Education and Teaching | $39,749 | 70% | $24,569 | 68% |
| 21 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake, IA Private not-for-profit · 10 feeder programs | 46 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,682 | 62% | $17,609 | 78% |
| 22 | William Penn University Oskaloosa, IA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 43 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,449 | 33% | $21,533 | 52% |
| 23 | University of Dubuque Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 38 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,779 | 40% | $21,324 | 89% |
| 24 | Loras College Dubuque, IA Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 35 | History, General | — | 68% | $19,227 | 100% |
| 25 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, IA Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 30 | Secondary Education and Teaching | $43,810 | 58% | $23,054 | 83% |
All 45 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 | 914 | 24 |
| Iowa State University | Ames | Public | 501 | 15 |
| University of Northern Iowa | Cedar Falls | Public | 376 | 20 |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell | Private not-for-profit | 166 | 13 |
| Morningside University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 151 | 17 |
| Drake University | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 143 | 15 |
| Wartburg College | Waverly | Private not-for-profit | 109 | 15 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 101 | 6 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private not-for-profit | 94 | 10 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City | Private not-for-profit | 83 | 13 |
| Coe College | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 77 | 11 |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public | 74 | 2 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private not-for-profit | 67 | 13 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 66 | 8 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | Private not-for-profit | 64 | 12 |
What secondary school teachers earn in Iowa
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $72,040. 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 Secondary School Teachers page.
How to become a Secondary School Teacher
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 25 majors mapped to Secondary School Teachers24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.0201Bilingual and Multilingual Education
- 13.1203Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching
- 13.1205Secondary Education and Teaching
- 13.1206Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
- 13.1207Montessori Teacher Education
- 13.1208Waldorf/Steiner Teacher Education(no graduates reported)
- 13.1211Online Educator/Online Teaching
- 13.1212International Teaching and Learning
- 13.1213Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Educational Methods
- 13.1302Art Teacher Education
- 13.1304Driver and Safety Teacher Education
- 13.1305English/Language Arts Teacher Education
- 13.1306Foreign Language Teacher Education
- 13.1307Health Teacher Education
- 13.1308Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education
- 13.1309Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education
- 13.1311Mathematics Teacher Education
- 13.1312Music Teacher Education
- 13.1314Physical Education Teaching and Coaching
- 13.1315Reading Teacher Education
- 13.1316Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- 13.1317Social Science Teacher Education
- 13.1318Social Studies Teacher Education
- 13.1321Computer Teacher Education
- 13.1322Biology Teacher Education
Common questions
Answers for people weighing secondary school teachers programs in Iowa.
What degree do you need to become a Secondary School Teacher?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 732 degrees in Iowa in 2024-25, 19.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Secondary School Teacher?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 42 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Teacher Education and Professional Development, Political Science and Government, History, plus 17 more. Together they graduate about 3,670 people a year in Iowa.
How much do secondary school teachers earn in Iowa?+
The median is $61,200 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 15.0% below the U.S. median of $72,040. 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 secondary school teachers growing?+
BLS projects a -1.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 66,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Iowa?+
45 institutions in Iowa reported graduates from at least one of the 42 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 secondary school teachers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Teacher, English Teacher, Social Studies Teacher, Math Teacher (Mathematics Teacher) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-2031.
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
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