Nursing schools in Iowa
41 nursing schools, from practical nursing to doctorates: 38 with a federal record and 3 listed only by the state board, with board approval, first-time NCLEX pass rates and accreditation.
Nursing graduates by year
| Year | Completions |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 4196 |
| 2015 | 4135 |
| 2016 | 3813 |
| 2017 | 3923 |
| 2018 | 3701 |
| 2019 | 3748 |
| 2020 | 4032 |
| 2021 | 4090 |
| 2022 | 4213 |
| 2023 | 4695 |
| 2024 | 5158 |
Map
Nursing schools (38)
-
Allen College
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorateCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 94.68% (2025, 94 first-time takers) -
Briar Cliff University
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorateCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 83.33% (2025, 6 first-time takers) -
Clarke University
Bachelor'sDoctorateCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 91.67% (2025, 12 first-time takers) - Coe College Bachelor'sCCNE RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 80% (2025, 15 first-time takers)
- Des Moines Area Community College LPN/LVNAssociate'sACEN Practical nursing NCLEX 90.91% (2025, 11 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 91.1% (2025, 191 first-time takers)
-
Dordt University
Bachelor'sCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 69.57% (2025, 23 first-time takers) -
Drake University
RN, bachelor’s degreeACEN
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 72.22% (2025, 18 first-time takers) -
Eastern Iowa Community College District
LPN/LVNAssociate's
-
Ellsworth Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
-
Graceland University-Lamoni
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorate
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 100% (2025, 2 first-time takers) -
Grand View University
Bachelor'sCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 86.11% (2025, 36 first-time takers) -
Hawkeye Community College
RN diplomaAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 76.92% (2025, 65 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 59.15% (2025, 71 first-time takers) -
Indian Hills Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 100% (2025, 30 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 100% (2025, 23 first-time takers) -
Iowa Central Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 94.55% (2025, 110 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 83.16% (2025, 95 first-time takers) -
Iowa Lakes Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sACEN
Practical nursing NCLEX 100% (2025, 10 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 96.88% (2025, 32 first-time takers) -
Iowa State University
Bachelor'sACEN
-
Iowa Western Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 94.62% (2025, 93 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 83.81% (2025, 105 first-time takers) -
Kirkwood Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sCNEA
Practical nursing NCLEX 98.15% (2025, 108 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 94.7% (2025, 151 first-time takers) -
Luther College
Bachelor'sCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 96.97% (2025, 33 first-time takers) -
Marshalltown Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
-
Mercy College of Health Sciences
Associate'sBachelor's
RN, associate degree NCLEX 81.82% (2025, 22 first-time takers) · RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 88.1% (2025, 210 first-time takers) -
Morningside University
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorateACENCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 89.47% (2025, 19 first-time takers) -
Mount Mercy University
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorateCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 95.83% (2025, 72 first-time takers) -
North Iowa Area Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sACEN
Practical nursing NCLEX 100% (2025, 13 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 90% (2025, 40 first-time takers) -
Northeast Iowa Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sCNEA
Practical nursing NCLEX 100% (2025, 75 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 98.41% (2025, 63 first-time takers) -
Northwest Iowa Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 93.48% (2025, 46 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 91.43% (2025, 35 first-time takers) -
Northwestern College
Bachelor'sCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 100% (2025, 25 first-time takers) -
Saint Ambrose University
Bachelor'sCCNE
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 84.38% (2025, 64 first-time takers) -
Southeastern Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sCNEA
Practical nursing NCLEX 95.79% (2025, 95 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 92.73% (2025, 55 first-time takers) -
Southwestern Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate's
Practical nursing NCLEX 100% (2025, 55 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 93.94% (2025, 33 first-time takers) -
St Luke's College
Associate'sBachelor'sCCNE
RN, associate degree NCLEX 78.57% (2025, 28 first-time takers) · RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 100% (2025, 4 first-time takers) - University of Dubuque Bachelor'sCCNE RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 89.47% (2025, 19 first-time takers)
-
University of Iowa
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctorateNurse anesthesiaCCNECOA
RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 94.23% (2025, 156 first-time takers) · RN, entry-level master’s NCLEX 95.45% (2025, 22 first-time takers) -
University of Northern Iowa
RN, bachelor’s degreeACEN
-
Upper Iowa University
Bachelor's
-
Waldorf University
CCNE
-
Western Iowa Tech Community College
LPN/LVNAssociate'sACEN
Practical nursing NCLEX 87.76% (2025, 98 first-time takers) · RN, associate degree NCLEX 87.5% (2025, 80 first-time takers) - William Penn University Bachelor'sOther nursingCCNE RN, bachelor’s degree NCLEX 50% (2025, 18 first-time takers)
More board-approved programs (5)
Programs the Iowa board of nursing approves at schools that report no nursing awards to IPEDS, as the board lists them.
| School | City | Program | Approval | First-time NCLEX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Iowa Community College | Practical nursing | 84.38% (2025, 32 first-time takers) | ||
| Eastern Iowa Community College | RN, associate degree | 70.09% (2025, 117 first-time takers) | ||
| Iowa Valley Community College | Practical nursing | 100% (2025, 43 first-time takers) | ||
| Iowa Valley Community College | RN, associate degree | 84% (2025, 50 first-time takers) | ||
| Purdue University Global | RN, associate degree | 77.11% (2025, 83 first-time takers) |
Sources
Schools and awards: IPEDS Completions. Accreditation: CCNE and CNEA directories.
State board sources: List of nursing programs approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing (Google Sheet linked from dial.iowa.gov Iowa Nursing Education Programs page) (current as retrieved 2026-09-18); Number of Candidates and Percent Passing of First-time NCLEX-RN Candidates Prepared in Iowa Programs (RN Program Data 2025, linked from dial.iowa.gov Nursing Program Statistics) (2025 calendar year (2021-2024 also printed)); Number of Candidates and Percent Passing of First-time NCLEX-PN Candidates Prepared in Iowa Programs (LPN Program Data 2025) (2025 calendar year (2021-2024 also printed)).