Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Nursing in Iowa

18 Ranked Colleges
1,236 Degrees Awarded
$11,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 an Associate in Iowa” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 313,362 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, nursing is the 3rd most popular major in the United States. 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 associate degree level specifically, there were 1,236 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,684 and $18,179 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Nursing Schools

The nursing school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa”.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa.

Top 18 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for Nursing in Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Western Iowa Tech Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. Sioux City, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Western Iowa Tech Community College, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Iowa Tech Community College is $7,201 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Western Iowa Tech Community College

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, Des Moines Area Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ankeny, Iowa, and it awarded 184 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

DMACC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for DMACC is $10,076 for iowa associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at DMACC

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwest Iowa Community College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa. Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public school situated in Sheldon, Iowa. It awarded 50 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwest Iowa Community College also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Northwest Iowa Community College is $12,125 for iowa associate degree nursing students.

Full Northwest Iowa Community College Nursing Report

#4

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kirkwood Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. This fairly large school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 142 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Kirkwood Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $10,939 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Kirkwood Community College.

Read more about Nursing at Kirkwood Community College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Iowa Area Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. Mason City, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa associate degree nursing students list, North Iowa Area Community College has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Iowa Area Community College is $8,409 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at North Iowa Area Community College

Iowa Central Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. This small school is located in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and it awarded 61 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa Central Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $10,102 for iowa associate degree nursing students per year to attend Iowa Central Community College.

Full Iowa Central Community College Nursing Report

Eastern Iowa Community College District landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 103 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our iowa associate degree nursing students list, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is $10,650 for iowa associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Eastern Iowa Community College District

#8

Southeastern Community College

West Burlington, Iowa

Southeastern Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. West Burlington, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 64 students in 2019-2020.

Southeastern Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southeastern Community College is $7,223 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Southeastern Community College

#9

Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, Iowa

Iowa Western Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking, coming in at #9. Iowa Western Community College is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 119 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

Iowa Western Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $11,477 for iowa associate degree nursing students per year to attend Iowa Western Community College.

Read more about Nursing at Iowa Western Community College

#11 in overall quality

Northeast Iowa Community College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. Northeast Iowa Community College is a small school located in Calmar, Iowa that handed out 95 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

NICC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $10,505 for iowa associate degree nursing students per year to attend Northeast Iowa Community College.

Full NICC Nursing Report

Indian Hills Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Ottumwa, Iowa, and it awarded 31 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

IHCC also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $7,217 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Indian Hills Community College.

Full IHCC Nursing Report

Mercy College of Health Sciences did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking, coming in at #12. Mercy College of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Des Moines, Iowa. It awarded 31 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

Mercy College of Health Sciences also took the #1 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mercy College of Health Sciences is $21,989 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences

#13

Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, Iowa

Hawkeye Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. Waterloo, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

Hawkeye Community College also took the #13 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Hawkeye Community College is $11,495 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

Full Hawkeye Community College Nursing Report

#14

Marshalltown Community College

Marshalltown, Iowa

Marshalltown Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. Located in Marshalltown, Iowa, this small public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2019-2020.

Marshalltown Community College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Marshalltown Community College is $7,456 for iowa associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at Marshalltown Community College

#15

Ellsworth Community College

Iowa Falls, Iowa

Ellsworth Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. Ellsworth Community College is located in Iowa Falls, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ellsworth, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ellsworth Community College is $11,198 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

Full Ellsworth Community College Nursing Report

Southwestern Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking. Creston, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

SWCC also took the #16 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southwestern Community College is $9,013 for iowa associate degree nursing students.

Read more about Nursing at SWCC

#17

St Luke's College

Sioux City, Iowa

With a ranking of #17, St Luke’s College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa list. St Luke’s College is a small school located in Sioux City, Iowa that handed out 45 associates’s nursing degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St Luke’s College, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St Luke’s College is $22,114 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Nursing at St Luke’s College

#18

Iowa Lakes Community College

Estherville, Iowa

Iowa Lakes Community College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Nursing Schools for an Associate in Iowa ranking, coming in at #18. Iowa Lakes Community College is located in Estherville, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.

Iowa Lakes Community College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list. It costs about $10,509 for Iowa Associate Degree Nursing students per year to attend Iowa Lakes Community College.

Full Iowa Lakes Community College Nursing Report

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

Featured Nursing Schools

Find Schools Near You