Best colleges for Teacher Education and Professional Development in Iowa
Ranked by graduate earnings
Morningside University, Grand View University and Iowa State University are the top bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Iowa by graduate earnings. Morningside University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,478, College Scorecard. University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Iowa award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Iowa: 370, 188 and 151 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 43 Iowa colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development and award 1,857 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focusing on various levels and methods, prepares individuals for careers in education. This program is designed for those who aspire to teach or work in educational…
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 | Morningside University Sioux City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,478 | 121 | 50% | $22,816 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Grand View University Des Moines Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,547 | 31 | 54% | $20,840 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Iowa State University Ames Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,512 | 188 | 75% | — | $25,000 |
| 4 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,015 | 151 | 75% | — | $27,000 |
| 5 | Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,810 | 27 | 58% | $23,054 | $30,687 |
| 6 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,834 | 95 | 62% | $17,609 | $41,996 |
| 7 | University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,790 | 370 | 68% | — | $26,059 |
| 8 | Cornell College Mount Vernon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,756 | 28 | 62% | $23,073 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Northwestern College Orange City Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,441 | 88 | 66% | $22,419 | $25,995 |
| 10 | Clarke University Dubuque Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,204 | 31 | 56% | $21,417 | $27,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Teacher Education and Professional Development 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 Northern Iowa Cedar Falls Public | 370 | $42,790 |
| 2 | Iowa State University Ames Public | 188 | $45,512 |
| 3 | University of Iowa Iowa City Public | 151 | $45,015 |
| 4 | Morningside University Sioux City Private not-for-profit | 121 | $48,478 |
| 5 | Buena Vista University Storm Lake Private not-for-profit | 95 | $42,834 |
| 6 | Northwestern College Orange City Private not-for-profit | 88 | $42,441 |
| 7 | Drake University Des Moines Private not-for-profit | 63 | $41,630 |
| 8 | Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Public | 56 | Not reported |
| 9 | William Penn University Oskaloosa Private not-for-profit | 53 | $40,049 |
| 10 | Southeastern Community College West Burlington Public | 52 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 33 Iowa colleges offering Teacher Education and Professional Development
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waldorf University | Forest City | Private not-for-profit | 59 |
| Upper Iowa University | Fayette | Private not-for-profit | 43 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center | Private not-for-profit | 42 |
| Saint Ambrose University | Davenport | Private not-for-profit | 37 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 31 |
| Grand View University | Des Moines | Private not-for-profit | 31 |
| Cornell College | Mount Vernon | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| Southwestern Community College | Creston | Public | 25 |
| University of Dubuque | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public | 24 |
| Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa | Public | 23 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 22 |
| Graceland University - Lamoni | Lamoni | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 18 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public | 18 |
| Simpson College | Indianola | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Central College | Pella | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Loras College | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Coe College | Cedar Rapids | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Ellsworth Community College | Iowa Falls | Public | 12 |
| Wartburg College | Waverly | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | Ankeny | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 10 |
| Luther College | Decorah | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Emmaus Bible College | Dubuque | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Marshalltown Community College | Marshalltown | Public | 5 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 5 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | Estherville | Public | 3 |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public | 2 |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 1 |
| Northwest Iowa Community College | Sheldon | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (SOC 25-2011).
Top skills
What Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Iowa
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Iowa.
Which Iowa colleges award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees?+
University of Northern Iowa (370 graduates a year), Iowa State University (188 graduates a year) and University of Iowa (151 graduates a year) award the most Teacher Education and Professional Development degrees in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 43 Iowa colleges offer Teacher Education and Professional Development.
What is the best college for Teacher Education and Professional Development in Iowa?+
By graduate earnings, Morningside University leads among bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development programs in Iowa, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,478, College Scorecard. Grand View University and Iowa State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Northern Iowa is the largest, with 370 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Teacher Education and Professional Development program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Morningside University tops the list at $48,478. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education earn in Iowa?+
The average annual wage for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education in Iowa is $35,760 (median $33,830), across about 5,910 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Teacher Education and Professional Development program?+
The Teacher Education and Professional Development program, specifically focusing on various levels and methods, prepares individuals for careers in education. This program is designed for those who aspire to teach or work in educational…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, learning strategies, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education?+
The national job outlook is about +4.1% growth with around 65,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Associate'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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