Best colleges for nursing in Iowa
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in nursing, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for nursing in Iowa19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Iowa.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in nursing, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
St. Luke's College
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitTop 1% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade A- · Top 17%
- 2
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA · Public#5 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 37%
- 3
Iowa State University
Ames, IA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 4
Dordt University
Sioux Center, IA · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 5
Luther College
Decorah, IA · Private nonprofitTop 19% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 6
Coe College
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitVery good: Compass grade B+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 49%
- 7Tie
Mercy College of Health Sciences
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofitTop 19% for low debt
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 36%
- 7Tie
Northwestern College
Orange City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 9
Saint Ambrose University
Davenport, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 10
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 39%
- 11
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 12
Clarke University
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 13
Grand View University
Des Moines, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 14
Morningside University
Sioux City, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 15
University of Dubuque
Dubuque, IA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 16
William Penn University
Oskaloosa, IA · Private nonprofit#26 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 17
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA · Private nonprofit#28 in Iowa
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 18
Graceland University-Lamoni
Lamoni, IA · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 19
Waldorf University
Forest City, IA · Private for-profitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 42%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Luke's College | About $20,000 | $15,000 | $61,033 | 100% |
| University of Iowa | About $23,000 | $22,500 | $64,762 | 75% |
| Iowa State University | About $19,000 | $22,869 | $63,386 | 75% |
| Dordt University | About $26,000 | $21,500 | $52,559 | 70% |
| Luther College | About $23,000 | $27,000 | $59,850 | 71% |
| Coe College | About $19,000 | $27,000 | $57,125 | 66% |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | About $27,000 | $14,745 | $62,234 | 66% |
| Northwestern College | About $26,000 | $23,249 | $49,802 | 66% |
| Saint Ambrose University | About $25,000 | $25,000 | $59,531 | 61% |
| Mount Mercy University | About $20,000 | $23,699 | $60,787 | 58% |
| Briar Cliff University | About $24,000 | $23,250 | $54,475 | 48% |
| Clarke University | About $24,000 | $26,717 | $55,396 | 56% |
| Grand View University | About $22,000 | $22,500 | $52,824 | 54% |
| Morningside University | About $31,000 | $26,028 | $55,494 | 50% |
| University of Dubuque | About $23,000 | $25,750 | $51,190 | 40% |
| William Penn University | About $23,000 | $22,415 | $48,936 | 33% |
| Upper Iowa University | About $21,000 | $25,000 | $52,766 | 34% |
| Graceland University-Lamoni | About $19,000 | $21,212 | $47,361 | 42% |
| Waldorf University | About $20,000 | $18,752 | $51,165 | 21% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 16
- Arizona 10
- Arkansas 14
- California 53
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 17
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 35
- Georgia 37
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 5
- Illinois 33
- Indiana 30
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 20
- Louisiana 17
- Maine 9
- Maryland 12
- Massachusetts 24
- Michigan 28
- Minnesota 25
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 36
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 10
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 9
- New Jersey 23
- New Mexico 7
- New York 58
- North Carolina 33
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 64
- Oklahoma 17
- Oregon 6
- Pennsylvania 68
- Puerto Rico 33
- Rhode Island 5
- South Carolina 20
- South Dakota 7
- Tennessee 31
- Texas 52
- Utah 14
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 33
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 15
- Wisconsin 24