2024 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa
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
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:
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on nursing students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of nursing students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How much debt nursing students go into to obtain their associate degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized nursing related body.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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