2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
17
Ranked Colleges
1,152
Degrees Awarded
$51,950
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 322,592 nursing students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, nursing graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $70,916 and had an average of $25,426 in loans still to pay off.
Across Iowa, there were 3,004 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,973 and $28,803 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 1,152 nursing graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,340 and $19,937 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in nursing. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great nursing programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the nursing program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran satisfaction. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate
The colleges and universities below are the best for iowa associate degree vets studying nursing.
Top 17 Best Nursing Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in Iowa
Out of the 17 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa Western Community College landed the #1 spot on the list. Council Bluffs, Iowa is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s nursing degrees to 146 students in 2020-2021.
Iowa Western Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Among the 5,791 students enrolled at Iowa Western Community College, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $583. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Iowa Tech Community College. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate. Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public institution located in Sioux City, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 81 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Western Iowa Tech Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list.Among the 5,360 students enrolled at Western Iowa Tech Community College, 117 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 51 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,455. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Western Iowa Tech Community College Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mercy College of Health Sciences. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. Mercy College of Health Sciences is located in Des Moines, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 45 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Mercy College of Health Sciences also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #2.According to our most recent data, Mercy College of Health Sciences supports 869 students, and 46 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 23 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,698. During this same period, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Mercy College of Health Sciences Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 17 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Des Moines Area Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. DMACC is a large public school situated in Ankeny, Iowa. It awarded 166 associates’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at DMACC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 500 of the 23,051 students enrolled at DMACC were GI Bill® students, of which 221 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,709. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Out of the 17 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwest Iowa Community College landed the #5 spot on the list. Northwest Iowa Community College is located in Sheldon, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwest Iowa Community College, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 36 of the 1,666 students enrolled at Northwest Iowa Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,961. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read More…
Eastern Iowa Community College District did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking, coming in at #6. This medium-sized school is located in Davenport, Iowa, and it awarded 86 associates’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 7,081 students enrolled at Eastern Iowa Community College District, 19 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,290. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Eastern Iowa Community College District]](/colleges/eastern-iowa-community-college-district/student-life/veterans/)
Kirkwood Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking. Kirkwood Community College is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 98 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, Kirkwood Community College has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 264 of the 12,277 students enrolled at Kirkwood Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 108 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,554. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Kirkwood Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Indian Hills Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. Indian Hills Community College is a small public school situated in Ottumwa, Iowa. It awarded 28 associates’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
IHCC also took the #13 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 106 of the 3,279 students enrolled at Indian Hills Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,629. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Indian Hills Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
Hawkeye Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. Located in Waterloo, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 41 diplomas to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, Hawkeye Community College has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Of the 5,042 students enrolled at Hawkeye Community College, 150 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,269. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Hawkeye Community College Veteran Student Life Report
North Iowa Area Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking. Located in Mason City, Iowa, this small public school handed out 46 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
North Iowa Area Community College also made our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list, coming in at #10.Our most recent data shows that 51 of the 2,681 students enrolled at North Iowa Area Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 28 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,828. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full North Iowa Area Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Iowa Central Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking. Iowa Central Community College is a public institution located in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 75 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Iowa Central Community College also took the #7 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Of the 4,704 students enrolled at Iowa Central Community College, 100 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 46 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,481. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Northeast Iowa Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Calmar, Iowa, this small public school awarded 90 degrees to qualified associates’s nursing students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, NICC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 19 of the 4,162 students enrolled at Northeast Iowa Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 7 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,586. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Northeast Iowa Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at NICC]](/colleges/northeast-iowa-community-college-calmar/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #13, Marshalltown Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. Marshalltown Community College is located in Marshalltown, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
Marshalltown Community College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Among the 1,836 students enrolled at Marshalltown Community College, 30 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 10 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,511. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Marshalltown Community College]](/colleges/marshalltown-community-college/student-life/veterans/)
Iowa Lakes Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. This small school is located in Estherville, Iowa, and it awarded 27 associates’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa Lakes Community College, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Of the 2,288 students enrolled at Iowa Lakes Community College, 12 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,004. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Southeastern Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking. Southeastern Community College is located in West Burlington, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, Southeastern Community College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.According to our most recent data, Southeastern Community College supports 2,260 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,695. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Southeastern Community College Veteran Student Life Report
Southwestern Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate list. Southwestern Community College is a small public school situated in Creston, Iowa. It awarded 40 associates’s nursing degrees in 2020-2021.
SWCC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” list.According to our most recent data, SWCC supports 1,503 students, and 19 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 3 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,360. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. SWCC offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
St Luke’s College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Iowa for Nursing for an Associate ranking, coming in at #17. St Luke’s College is located in Sioux City, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 associates’s nursing degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our iowa associate degree vets studying nursing list, St Luke’s College has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa” ranking.Of the 211 students enrolled at St Luke’s College, 9 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,092. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full St Luke’s College Veteran Student Life Report
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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
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