by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual looked at 17 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Iowa ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,159 associate degrees in nursing during the 2022-2023 academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
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:
The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a quality 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.
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.
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.
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.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.
Des Moines Area Community College is a great choice for students pursuing an associate degree in nursing. Located in the suburb of Ankeny, DMACC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career wages of $59,181.
More information about a associate in nursing from Des Moines Area Community College
Southeastern Community College is a good decision for individuals interested in an associate degree in nursing. Located in the remote town of West Burlington, Southeastern Community College is a public college with a small student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $61,159.
More information about a associate in nursing from Southeastern Community College
Iowa Central Community College is a great option for students pursuing an associate degree in nursing. Iowa Central Community College is a small public college located in the remote town of Fort Dodge.
Soon after graduating, nursing associate recipients typically make around $56,562 in their early careers.
More information about a associate in nursing from Iowa Central Community College
Every student who is interested in an associate degree in nursing has to look into Western Iowa Tech Community College. Located in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Those nursing students who get their associate degree from Western Iowa Tech Community College earn $2,123 more than the average nursing grad.
More information about a associate in nursing from Western Iowa Tech Community College
Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $62,338.
More information about a associate in nursing from Eastern Iowa Community College District
Located in the midsize city of Des Moines, Mercy College of Health Sciences is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Nursing associate degree recipients from Mercy College of Health Sciences get an earnings boost of around $2,776 over the average earnings of nursing graduates.
More information about a associate in nursing from Mercy College of Health Sciences
Located in the midsize city of Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College is a public college with a large student population.
Nursing associate degree recipients from Kirkwood Community College receive an earnings boost of around $3,370 above the average income of nursing majors.
More information about a associate in nursing from Kirkwood Community College
Located in the suburb of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Iowa Western Community College earn $4,177 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a associate in nursing from Iowa Western Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College is a small public college located in the town of Sheldon.
Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make around $62,453 in their early career salary.
More information about a associate in nursing from Northwest Iowa Community College
St Luke's College is a fairly small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Sioux City.More information about a associate in nursing from St Luke’s College
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 |
One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | 1,159 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Allied Health Professions | 289 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 154 |
| Dental Support Services | 139 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 61 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science | 54 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 1 |
