2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in Iowa

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Nursing is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 313,362 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $67,065 and had an average of $26,282 in loans still to pay off.

Across Iowa, there were 3,013 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $64,427 and $28,543 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 97 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,469 and $117,729 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 5 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent nursing programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the nursing program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 5 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in Iowa

#1

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

#1 in overall quality

$27,613 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$104,033 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k. Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 67 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Iowa are $27,613, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Nursing at Iowa

#2

Graceland University - Lamoni

Lamoni, Iowa

#3 in overall quality

$17,647 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Graceland University - Lamoni. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Lamoni, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified doctorate’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Graceland Lamoni, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Graceland University - Lamoni are $17,647.

Read full report on Nursing at Graceland University - Lamoni

#3

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

#4 in overall quality

$10,870 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Mount Mercy University landed the #3 spot on the list. This small school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Mount Mercy did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Mount Mercy are $10,870, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Nursing at Mount Mercy

#4

Briar Cliff University

Sioux City, Iowa

#2 in overall quality

$10,530 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Briar Cliff University landed the #4 spot on the list. Briar Cliff University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Sioux City, Iowa. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Briar Cliff not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Briar Cliff University are $10,530, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Nursing at Briar Cliff University

#5

Clarke University

Dubuque, Iowa

#4 in overall quality

$12,119 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$98,137 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 5 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for a Doctorate in Iowa For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Clarke University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Dubuque, Iowa, and it awarded 13 doctorate’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Clarke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools in Iowa” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Clarke University are $12,119.

Read full report on Nursing at Clarke University

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Nursing (Income $30-$48k)

Notes and References

References

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
• Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

• *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
• Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Aleksahgabrielle.

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