Top 50 Best Certificate Programs in Iowa by ROI

Every Certificate 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

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$133,319

Across all Iowa programs

Average Annual Cost

$18,394

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$727,961	$79,665	$17,914	$5,500	Full ROI →
2	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Insurance.	+$647,002	$77,132	$26,883	$21,300	Full ROI →
3	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Personal Awareness and Self-Improvement.	+$578,022	$73,629	$26,883	$20,500	Full ROI →
4	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$536,497	$70,169	$26,883	N/A	Full ROI →
5	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	International Business.	+$501,097	$70,114	$26,883	$25,407	Full ROI →
6	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$412,926	$63,385	$14,774	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$381,812	$63,401	$14,774	$23,284	Full ROI →
8	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.	+$315,017	$60,850	$26,883	$26,000	Full ROI →
9	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Sustainability Studies.	+$243,773	$56,979	$26,883	$21,425	Full ROI →
10	Southeastern Community College Grad rate: 41.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$211,096	$54,526	$16,582	$16,920	Full ROI →
11	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$147,423	$51,394	$15,405	$18,557	Full ROI →
12	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Agricultural Mechanization.	+$146,475	$50,666	$16,720	$7,500	Full ROI →
13	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$140,540	$51,132	$16,720	$18,800	Full ROI →
14	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies.	+$137,837	$51,991	$26,883	$26,000	Full ROI →
15	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$136,571	$51,255	$16,720	$23,562	Full ROI →
16	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$136,522	$50,394	$15,664	$11,625	Full ROI →
17	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Journalism.	+$127,037	$49,696	$26,883	N/A	Full ROI →
18	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$123,612	$51,282	$26,883	$26,033	Full ROI →
19	Marshalltown Community College Grad rate: 36.3%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$110,427	$48,221	$13,993	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$84,975	$47,335	$14,300	$5,500	Full ROI →
21	Iowa Western Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$77,758	$48,008	$18,102	$18,000	Full ROI →
22	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$60,146	$46,701	$14,300	$14,499	Full ROI →
23	Southwestern Community College Grad rate: 52.5%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$33,637	$45,605	$16,399	$16,343	Full ROI →
24	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Precision Metal Working.	+$26,023	$44,507	$16,720	$5,479	Full ROI →
25	Kirkwood Community College Grad rate: 37.9%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	+$15,103	$43,495	$14,797	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Iowa Central Community College Grad rate: 40.7%	Precision Metal Working.	+$11,615	$43,351	$15,405	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	-$960	$42,788	$16,720	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$2,897	$43,797	$17,914	$15,499	Full ROI →
29	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Precision Metal Working.	-$8,314	$42,869	$15,065	$7,874	Full ROI →
30	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	-$13,060	$42,062	$14,300	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$14,945	$42,460	$16,720	$5,500	Full ROI →
32	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.	-$19,894	$43,476	$15,664	$25,000	Full ROI →
33	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$34,265	$41,040	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
34	North Iowa Area Community College Grad rate: 55.0%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$53,421	$40,087	$15,161	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Ground Transportation.	-$60,605	$39,723	$15,065	N/A	Full ROI →
36	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$66,812	$39,910	$14,300	$7,935	Full ROI →
37	Eastern Iowa Community College District Grad rate: 36.6%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	-$74,959	$38,977	$14,499	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Eastern Iowa Community College District Grad rate: 36.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$103,056	$38,911	$14,499	$19,835	Full ROI →
39	North Iowa Area Community College Grad rate: 55.0%	Precision Metal Working.	-$103,341	$37,591	$15,161	N/A	Full ROI →
40	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Museology/Museum Studies.	-$109,271	$39,318	$26,883	$21,295	Full ROI →
41	Indian Hills Community College Grad rate: 38.2%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$130,491	$37,499	$14,774	$19,035	Full ROI →
42	University of Iowa Grad rate: 73.4%	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.	-$147,846	$37,630	$26,883	$24,862	Full ROI →
43	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Business Operations Support and Assistant Services.	-$155,200	$34,955	$14,300	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	-$164,414	$35,710	$15,664	$17,000	Full ROI →
45	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$208,553	$32,923	$16,720	$7,625	Full ROI →
46	Hawkeye Community College Grad rate: 32.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$215,423	$32,868	$15,065	$13,125	Full ROI →
47	Des Moines Area Community College Grad rate: 34.0%	Design and Applied Arts.	-$215,564	$32,005	$15,664	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Northeast Iowa Community College Grad rate: 48.1%	Business Operations Support and Assistant Services.	-$226,260	$31,523	$16,720	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Southeastern Community College Grad rate: 41.0%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$237,901	$31,899	$16,582	$14,296	Full ROI →
50	Western Iowa Tech Community College Grad rate: 41.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	-$245,922	$30,835	$14,300	$6,165	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.