Waterloo, Iowa Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Waterloo, Iowa: median public in-state tuition $6,786 (+19.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $74,338 (+25.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 96.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $12,250 (-9.3% vs U.S.) 2,887 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Waterloo serve students across Iowa with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 2,887 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $6,786. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Waterloo, Iowa and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Waterloo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo, Iowa | $6,786 | $15,128 | $12,250 | N/A | 2,887 |
| 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: Waterloo, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo, Iowa | $74,338 | 96.7% | N/A | 1.6% | — | 91.2% | 0.17 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo, Iowa | $6,786 | $15,128 | $12,250 | N/A | 2,887 | $74,338 | 96.7% |
| 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 Rapids | $42,772 | $16,764 | $17,354 | 55.7% | 10,012 | $60,086 | 95.2% |
| 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% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
In-state tuition: Waterloo, Iowa vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Waterloo, Iowa median in-state tuition is $6,786, +19.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Waterloo, Iowa vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Waterloo, Iowa is $12,250 (-9.3% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,125.
Median earnings (10 years out): Waterloo, Iowa vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Waterloo, Iowa center around $74,338 (+25.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Waterloo, Iowa vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 96.7% at the median Waterloo, Iowa campus (+3.7 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
Waterloo, Iowa median public in-state tuition is $6,786, about +19.1% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +3.8%.
Median graduate debt is $12,250 (-9.3% below 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 Waterloo, Iowa are $74,338, about +25.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 96.7% 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% (+3.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 1.6% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 91.2% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Waterloo?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Waterloo, Iowa with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Waterloo?
Median in-state tuition in Waterloo is $6,786 and median net price is $15,128. For Iowa overall, medians are $6,803 and $12,346; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Waterloo?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Waterloo is $74,338 vs $58,810 for Iowa and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Waterloo colleges?
Median completer debt in Waterloo is $12,250 vs $12,000 for Iowa and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Waterloo?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Waterloo, Iowa, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Iowa college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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