Cedar Falls, Iowa Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Cedar Falls, Iowa shows: median public in-state tuition $9,936 (+80.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $55,177 (+1.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 95.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $16,096 (+19.8% vs U.S.) 7,674 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 3 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 7,674 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $9,936 (+80.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,177 (+1.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 95.2% (+7.3 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $15,901 (+59.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $16,096 (+19.8% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $17,500
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 67.9%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 81.7%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Cedar Falls, Iowa—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Iowa and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Cedar Falls vs Iowa & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Falls, Iowa | $9,936 | $15,901 | $16,096 | 67.9% | 7,674 |
| Iowa (state median) | $6,525 | $11,272 | $14,745 | 63.1% | 134,174 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Cedar Falls, Iowa vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Falls, Iowa | $55,177 | 95.2% | 81.7% | 4.5% | — | 81.4% | 0.36 |
| Iowa (state median) | $55,286 | 94.0% | 75.8% | 3.7% | — | 82.3% | 0.44 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Iowa (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Falls, Iowa | $9,936 | $15,901 | $16,096 | 67.9% | 7,674 | $55,177 | 95.2% |
| Cedar Rapids | $40,878 | $17,643 | $17,850 | 61.8% | 10,012 | $58,956 | 94.9% |
| Davenport | $15,600 | $19,034 | $9,500 | 70.8% | 5,824 | $59,531 | 94.1% |
| Des Moines | $34,762 | $24,349 | $18,622 | 65.5% | 4,986 | $62,234 | 92.4% |
| Sioux City | $30,566 | $19,820 | $15,000 | 50.1% | 4,668 | $54,984 | 95.1% |
| Dubuque | $40,367 | $20,716 | $25,750 | 61.9% | 3,654 | $55,396 | 95.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 67.9%, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.2%, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 most selective colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 92.7%, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $75,667, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $89,305, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,222, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,478, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $55,177, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $181,510, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $15,901, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
Top 10 colleges in Cedar Falls, Iowa by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 81.7%, University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
In-state tuition: Cedar Falls, Iowa vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Cedar Falls, Iowa median in-state tuition is $9,936, +80.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Cedar Falls, Iowa vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Cedar Falls, Iowa is $16,096 (+19.8% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Cedar Falls, Iowa vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Cedar Falls, Iowa center around $55,177 (+1.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Cedar Falls, Iowa vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 95.2% at the median Cedar Falls, Iowa campus (+7.3 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Cedar Falls, Iowa median public in-state tuition is $9,936, about +80.3% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +59.6%.
Median graduate debt is $16,096 (+19.8% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Cedar Falls, Iowa are $55,177, about +1.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 95.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+7.3 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 81.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 4.5% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 81.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Northern Iowa (95.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Cedar Falls, Iowa is 67.9% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Cedar Falls?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 3 campuses in Cedar Falls, Iowa with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Cedar Falls?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Cedar Falls is $9,936 and median net price is $15,901. For Iowa overall, medians are $6,525 and $11,272; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Cedar Falls?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Cedar Falls is $55,177 vs $55,286 for Iowa and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Cedar Falls colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Cedar Falls is $16,096 vs $14,745 for Iowa and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Cedar Falls?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Northern Iowa (graduation) and University of Northern Iowa (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Cedar Falls?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 3 College Scorecard campuses in Cedar Falls, Iowa, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Iowa college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON