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2024 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa

17 Colleges in Iowa
1,152 Associate Degrees
$51,950 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #2 in popularity, nursing is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 17 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,152 associate degrees in nursing to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa The nursing associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for nursing students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa list to help you make the college decision.


 

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in Iowa

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.

10 Top Iowa Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1
St Luke's College crest
St Luke's College
Sioux City, IA
35 Annual Graduates
$19,125 Median Student Debt

St Luke's College is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. St Luke's College is a small private not-for-profit college located in the small city of Sioux City.More information about a associate in nursing from St Luke’s College

2
166 Annual Graduates
$51,457 Median Starting Salary
$19,496 Median Student Debt

Des Moines Area Community College is a good choice for students interested in an associate degree in nursing. Located in the large suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public college with a very large student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn about $51,457 in their early career salary.

More information about a associate in nursing from Des Moines Area Community College

3
45 Annual Graduates
$48,551 Median Starting Salary
$37,286 Median Student Debt

Mercy College of Health Sciences is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Located in the city of Des Moines, Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $48,551.

More information about a associate in nursing from Mercy College of Health Sciences

4
81 Annual Graduates
$53,454 Median Starting Salary
$22,597 Median Student Debt

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in nursing has to check out Western Iowa Tech Community College. Located in the small city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career income of $53,454.

More information about a associate in nursing from Western Iowa Tech Community College

5
Southeastern Community College crest
Southeastern Community College
West Burlington, IA
64 Annual Graduates
$52,219 Median Starting Salary
$22,288 Median Student Debt

Located in the town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Soon after graduating, nursing associate recipients usually earn about $52,219 in their early careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Southeastern Community College

6
146 Annual Graduates
$53,259 Median Starting Salary
$27,938 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $53,259.

More information about a associate in nursing from Iowa Western Community College

7
Kirkwood Community College crest
Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids, IA
98 Annual Graduates
$52,333 Median Starting Salary
$22,957 Median Student Debt

Located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a public college with a large student population.

After graduating, nursing associate recipients usually make an average of $52,333 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Kirkwood Community College

8
86 Annual Graduates
$53,347 Median Starting Salary
$30,767 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career earnings of $53,347.

More information about a associate in nursing from Eastern Iowa Community College District

9
90 Annual Graduates

NICC is a small public college located in the rural area of Calmar.More information about a associate in nursing from Northeast Iowa Community College

10
38 Annual Graduates
$50,136 Median Starting Salary
$20,886 Median Student Debt

Located in the rural area of Sheldon, Northwest Iowa Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn around $50,136 for their early career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Northwest Iowa Community College

Best Nursing Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 151 2,167
Kansas 146 868
Missouri 117 1,409
Nebraska 98 265
South Dakota 93 114
North Dakota 92 287

View All Rankings >

One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 1,152

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health Professions 283
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 198
Dental Support Services 138
Health & Medical Administrative Services 102
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 48
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions 1

Notes and References

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