Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Iowa
Ranked by graduate earnings
Luther College, Dordt University and Northwestern College are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. Luther College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $75,533, College Scorecard. University of Iowa, Mercy College of Health Sciences and Allen College award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Iowa: 311, 274 and 145 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 35 Iowa colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 2,571 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luther College Decorah Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,533 | 33 | 71% | $22,827 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Dordt University Sioux Center Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,680 | 23 | 70% | $24,569 | $24,500 |
| 3 | Northwestern College Orange City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,479 | 27 | 66% | $22,419 | $27,000 |
| 4 | St Luke's College Sioux City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,064 | 46 | 100% | $15,221 | $19,125 |
| 5 | Upper Iowa University Fayette Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,224 | 54 | 34% | $22,697 | $35,004 |
| 6 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,368 | 311 | 75% | — | $24,811 |
| 7 | Morningside University Sioux City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,397 | 91 | 50% | $22,816 | $28,000 |
| 8 | Graceland University - Lamoni Lamoni Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,955 | 122 | 42% | $16,430 | $30,754 |
| 9 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,647 | 90 | 58% | $23,054 | $27,000 |
| 10 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,309 | 274 | 66% | $23,694 | $30,500 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa Western Community College Council Bluffs Public · Associate degree | $65,268 | 102 | 40% | — | $27,938 |
| 2 | Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids Public · Associate degree | $64,461 | 136 | 43% | — | $22,957 |
| 3 | Southwestern Community College Creston Public · Associate degree | $63,505 | 33 | 59% | — | $20,300 |
| 4 | Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City Public · Associate degree | $63,214 | 81 | 50% | — | $22,597 |
| 5 | Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon Public · Associate degree | $62,453 | 36 | 58% | — | $20,886 |
| 6 | Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport Public · Associate degree | $62,338 | 122 | 45% | — | $30,767 |
| 7 | Marshalltown Community College Marshalltown Public · Associate degree | $61,954 | 29 | 42% | — | $17,935 |
| 8 | Southeastern Community College West Burlington Public · Associate degree | $61,159 | 55 | 43% | — | $22,288 |
| 9 | Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville Public · Associate degree | $61,157 | 32 | 50% | — | $30,750 |
| 10 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Public · Associate degree | $59,181 | 175 | 39% | — | $19,496 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing 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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public | 311 | $69,368 |
| 2 | Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines Private not-for-profit | 274 | $66,309 |
| 3 | Allen College Waterloo Private not-for-profit | 145 | $65,924 |
| 4 | Graceland University - Lamoni Lamoni Private not-for-profit | 122 | $66,955 |
| 5 | Morningside University Sioux City Private not-for-profit | 91 | $68,397 |
| 6 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids Private not-for-profit | 90 | $66,647 |
| 7 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport Private not-for-profit | 78 | $66,151 |
| 8 | Upper Iowa University Fayette Private not-for-profit | 54 | $70,224 |
| 9 | St Luke's College Sioux City Private not-for-profit | 46 | $71,064 |
| 10 | Briar Cliff University Sioux City Private not-for-profit | 39 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 25 Iowa colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Iowa
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Iowa.
Which Iowa colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of Iowa (311 graduates a year), Mercy College of Health Sciences (274 graduates a year) and Allen College (145 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 35 Iowa colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Iowa?+
By graduate earnings, Luther College leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $75,533, College Scorecard. Dordt University and Northwestern College follow. By degrees awarded, University of Iowa is the largest, with 311 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Luther College tops the list at $75,533. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Iowa?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Iowa is $80,540 (median $78,630), across about 34,420 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 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).
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.
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