Cedar Rapids, Iowa Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: median public in-state tuition $42,772 (+650.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $60,086 (+1.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 95.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,354 (+28.6% vs U.S.) 10,012 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Cedar Rapids serve students across Iowa with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 10,012 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $42,772. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Cedar Rapids, Iowa and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Cedar Rapids 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 Rapids, Iowa | $42,772 | $16,764 | $17,354 | 55.7% | 10,012 |
| Iowa (state median) | $6,803 | $12,346 | $12,000 | 57.0% | 134,174 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Cedar Rapids, 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 Rapids, Iowa | $60,086 | 95.2% | 72.7% | 3.7% | — | 83.2% | 0.41 |
| Iowa (state median) | $58,810 | 95.0% | 75.8% | 3.7% | — | 82.3% | 0.40 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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 Rapids, Iowa | $42,772 | $16,764 | $17,354 | 55.7% | 10,012 | $60,086 | 95.2% |
| Ames | $11,092 | $20,607 | $13,792 | 76.7% | 25,543 | $67,568 | 96.1% |
| Iowa City | $11,622 | $22,424 | $13,798 | 75.8% | 22,377 | $70,727 | 95.2% |
| Ankeny | $13,565 | $11,761 | $10,950 | 56.1% | 10,851 | $41,000 | 85.7% |
| Cedar Falls | $10,201 | $16,038 | $17,083 | 68.6% | 7,674 | $57,187 | 96.0% |
| Davenport | $15,600 | $21,546 | $9,500 | 68.1% | 5,824 | $66,659 | 95.7% |
| Des Moines | $36,136 | $23,688 | $17,000 | 55.3% | 4,986 | $63,983 | 94.7% |
| Sioux City | $31,762 | $23,505 | $14,480 | 45.6% | 4,668 | $59,272 | 95.1% |
| Dubuque | $41,919 | $22,910 | $24,513 | 58.0% | 3,654 | $60,869 | 95.8% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, 59.6%, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 51.8%, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, 95.5%, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 94.8%, Coe College
Coe College
Top 2 most selective colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, 64.0%, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 82.5%, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $76,975, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $75,229, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $81,408, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $75,613, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $57,239, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,187, Coe College
Coe College
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $59,270, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,794, Coe College
Coe College
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $60,502, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,669, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $184,386, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $174,227, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, $18,647, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $23,935, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
Top 2 colleges in Cedar Rapids, 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, 72.8%, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 72.7%, Coe College
Coe College
In-state tuition: Cedar Rapids, Iowa vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Cedar Rapids, Iowa median in-state tuition is $42,772, +650.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Cedar Rapids, Iowa vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is $17,354 (+28.6% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,125.
Median earnings (10 years out): Cedar Rapids, Iowa vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Cedar Rapids, Iowa center around $60,086 (+1.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Cedar Rapids, 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 Rapids, Iowa campus (+2.1 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 Rapids, Iowa median public in-state tuition is $42,772, about +650.4% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +554.5%.
Median graduate debt is $17,354 (+28.6% above the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Rapids, Iowa are $60,086, about +1.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
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 93.0% (+2.1 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 72.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 83.2% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Mount Mercy University (95.5%), Coe College (94.8%)—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 Rapids, Iowa is 55.7% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Cedar Rapids?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Cedar Rapids?
Median in-state tuition in Cedar Rapids is $42,772 and median net price is $16,764. For Iowa overall, medians are $6,803 and $12,346; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Cedar Rapids?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Cedar Rapids is $60,086 vs $58,810 for Iowa and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Cedar Rapids colleges?
Median completer debt in Cedar Rapids is $17,354 vs $12,000 for Iowa and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Cedar Rapids?
Top campuses on this page include Coe College (graduation) and Coe College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Cedar Rapids?
Among 5 campuses in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Presbyterian Church (USA) (1), Roman Catholic (1), United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- Iowa college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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