Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Iowa by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Iowa ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Iowa

135

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$54,913

Across all Iowa programs

Average Annual Cost

$16,479

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Waldorf University Grad rate: 27.5%	Fire Protection.	+$500,127	$71,661	$38,035	$12,609	Full ROI →
2	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$490,712	$69,137	$17,914	$12,000	Full ROI →
3	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$440,252	$65,804	$17,914	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$377,708	$63,083	$14,774	$10,669	Full ROI →
5	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Agricultural Mechanization.	+$295,450	$58,279	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Computer Programming.	+$287,272	$58,651	$14,774	$12,000	Full ROI →
7	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications.	+$286,433	$59,575	$15,405	$25,375	Full ROI →
8	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	+$267,068	$57,912	$14,797	$15,983	Full ROI →
9	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$265,812	$56,857	$15,664	N/A	Full ROI →
10	North Iowa Area Community College Grad rate: 55.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$260,478	$57,593	$15,161	$15,600	Full ROI →
11	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$241,312	$55,632	$15,664	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Precision Metal Working.	+$205,250	$53,769	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$200,372	$53,585	$15,664	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Southeastern Community College Grad rate: 41.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$187,507	$54,538	$16,582	$22,288	Full ROI →
15	Iowa Western Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$185,486	$54,872	$18,102	$26,481	Full ROI →
16	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$179,490	$52,481	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Marshalltown Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$176,621	$53,441	$13,993	$17,935	Full ROI →
18	Ellsworth Community College Grad rate: 35.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$175,837	$54,001	$17,157	$22,125	Full ROI →
19	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other.	+$175,727	$52,994	$15,664	$9,500	Full ROI →
20	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$170,140	$52,179	$16,720	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$158,852	$52,825	$15,664	$19,496	Full ROI →
22	Iowa Western Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$154,519	$53,422	$18,102	$27,938	Full ROI →
23	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications.	+$153,290	$51,171	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$150,434	$52,477	$14,300	$22,597	Full ROI →
25	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$149,114	$52,485	$14,797	$22,957	Full ROI →
26	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$147,319	$51,582	$15,664	$9,624	Full ROI →
27	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$141,826	$50,571	$14,797	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$140,635	$52,233	$17,914	$20,886	Full ROI →
29	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$129,374	$51,433	$15,405	$21,093	Full ROI →
30	St Luke's College	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$121,279	$52,094	$27,391	$19,125	Full ROI →
31	Eastern Iowa Community College District Grad rate: 36.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$117,066	$51,380	$14,499	$30,767	Full ROI →
32	Iowa Lakes Community College Grad rate: 30.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$115,559	$51,637	$17,834	$30,750	Full ROI →
33	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$106,355	$50,107	$15,405	$18,500	Full ROI →
34	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$81,662	$49,411	$15,065	$26,983	Full ROI →
35	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$77,070	$48,204	$15,405	$12,000	Full ROI →
36	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Marketing.	+$76,172	$47,375	$15,664	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Iowa Western Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$72,606	$48,318	$18,102	$13,000	Full ROI →
38	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Agricultural Mechanization.	+$71,920	$47,268	$16,720	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$69,341	$48,128	$14,797	$17,500	Full ROI →
40	Southwestern Community College Grad rate: 52.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$68,877	$48,454	$16,399	$20,300	Full ROI →
41	Mercy College of Health Sciences Grad rate: 46.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$59,915	$50,597	$30,844	$37,286	Full ROI →
42	Southeastern Community College Grad rate: 41.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$50,096	$46,163	$16,582	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$48,282	$47,579	$14,774	$25,000	Full ROI →
44	Mercy College of Health Sciences Grad rate: 46.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$47,962	$49,575	$30,844	$31,000	Full ROI →
45	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$46,061	$46,859	$17,914	$11,326	Full ROI →
46	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions.	+$44,350	$45,724	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
47	William Penn University Grad rate: 29.5%	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.	+$43,142	$48,232	$40,749	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Precision Metal Working.	+$34,392	$45,197	$14,774	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Accounting and Related Services.	+$23,994	$46,268	$15,664	$22,250	Full ROI →
50	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Agricultural Mechanization.	+$16,026	$44,281	$14,797	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.