Iowa Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Trade schools in Iowa: 40 trade and vocational campuses (30 trade schools, 10 community colleges) median net price $13,566 (-4.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $39,060 (+11.7% vs U.S.) median completion rate 62.8% employment-outcome proxy 87.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 40 campuses (30 trade schools, 10 community colleges)
- Total enrollment: 45,016 students
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $39,060 (+11.7% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.5% (+6.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $13,566 (-4.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $10,250 (+5.7% vs U.S. $9,699); regional median $10,498. Debt rank: #36 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Plains of 7
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 62.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 82.9%
- Earnings rank: #11 nationally (higher median 10-yr earnings = better rank)
- Employment-outcome rank: #2 nationally (higher working share = better rank)
- Student debt rank: #36 nationally of 52; #3 in Plains of 7 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in Iowa include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 40 campuses in this profile (30 trade schools, 10 community colleges), with about 45,016 students enrolled, and median net price near $13,566. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Plains medians.
Iowa vs regional & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa (IA) | — | $13,566 | $10,250 | 62.8% | 45,016 |
| Plains (region median) | — | $13,566 | $10,498 | 60.4% | 279,250 |
| United States | — | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa (IA) | $39,060 | 87.5% | 82.9% | 15.0% | — | 59.5% | 0.27 |
| United States | $34,984 | 80.9% | 64.9% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
Iowa vs peer states (Plains region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa (IA) | N/A | $13,566 | $10,250 | 62.8% | 45,016 | $39,060 | 87.5% |
| Kansas (KS) | N/A | $12,039 | $9,339 | 55.2% | 51,362 | $40,244 | 87.3% |
| Missouri (MO) | N/A | $15,417 | $9,500 | 73.0% | 61,829 | $35,071 | 84.7% |
| Nebraska (NE) | N/A | $14,639 | $10,498 | 60.4% | 24,632 | $38,729 | 85.9% |
| Minnesota (MN) | N/A | $13,548 | $12,000 | 48.7% | 80,521 | $45,158 | 88.0% |
| United States | N/A | $14,215 | $9,699 | 63.3% | 5,490,315 | $34,984 | 80.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Iowa
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 14 | $27,166 | 86.4% | N/A | 8.8% | — | 54.4% |
| Public | 16 | $41,017 | 88.3% | N/A | 17.2% | — | 60.6% |
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 91.2%, La James International College-Davenport
La James International College-Davenport
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 88.0%, La James International College-Johnston
La James International College-Johnston
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 87.5%, Aveda Institute-Des Moines
Aveda Institute-Des Moines
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 82.2%, Capri College-Davenport
Capri College-Davenport
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 81.0%, Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines
Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 76.6%, PCI Academy-Ames
PCI Academy-Ames
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 76.5%, SOHO Hair Academy
SOHO Hair Academy
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 76.5%, La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 73.6%, Capri College-Dubuque
Capri College-Dubuque
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 72.2%, Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.1%, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 91.7%, Capri College-Dubuque
Capri College-Dubuque
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 91.0%, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 90.5%, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 90.5%, La James International College-Davenport
La James International College-Davenport
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 90.0%, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 89.7%, Iowa Western Community College
Iowa Western Community College
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 89.6%, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 89.6%, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 89.6%, Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,635, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,491, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,349, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,099, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,805, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,540, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,525, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,209, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,878, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,574, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,362, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,687, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,398, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,878, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,035, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,951, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,783, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $39,583, Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Central Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,860, Iowa Western Community College
Iowa Western Community College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $38,838, Emmaus Bible College
Emmaus Bible College
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,776, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,462, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,108, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,849, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,793, Iowa Western Community College
Iowa Western Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,631, Emmaus Bible College
Emmaus Bible College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $42,046, Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Central Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,306, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,018, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $41,016, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $212,270, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $189,570, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $182,994, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $180,698, Emmaus Bible College
Emmaus Bible College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $180,301, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $177,448, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $175,996, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $173,784, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $173,364, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $170,734, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in Iowa (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $4,522, La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
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Rank 2, Net Price, $8,059, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $9,649, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $8,770, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $9,328, Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Central Community College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $9,705, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $10,010, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $9,871, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $10,693, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $11,171, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
Student debt: Iowa vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Iowa is $10,250 (+5.7% vs U.S. median $9,699). Regional median: $10,498. Rank: #36 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Plains of 7.
Median earnings (10 years out): Iowa vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Iowa center around $39,060 (+11.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Iowa vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.5% at the median Iowa campus (+6.5 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
Median graduate debt is $10,250 (+5.7% above the U.S. median of $9,699, and -2.4% vs the Plains regional median of $10,498). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #36 nationally of 52 (lower debt = better rank); #3 in Plains of 7 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Iowa are $39,060, about +11.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($34,984).
The median campus reports 87.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 80.9% (+6.5 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 82.9% vs a U.S. median of 64.9%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 15.0% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 59.5% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, Iowa ranks earnings #11 and employment proxy #2 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Northwest Iowa Community College (92.1%), Capri College-Dubuque (91.7%), North Iowa Area Community College (91.0%), Northeast Iowa Community College (90.5%), La James International College-Davenport (90.5%), Iowa Lakes Community College (90.0%), Iowa Western Community College (89.7%), Hawkeye Community College (89.6%), Southwestern Community College (89.6%), Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City (89.6%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Iowa, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $27,166 (14 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $41,017 (16 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Iowa is 62.8% (national institution average about 63.3%).
FAQ
How much do trade schools cost in Iowa?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Iowa, median net price is $13,566 vs $14,215 nationally (-4.6% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at Iowa trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in Iowa is $10,250 vs a U.S. median of $9,699 (Iowa ranks #36 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in Iowa?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for Iowa trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $39,060 vs $34,984 nationally. Six-year medians are $34,653.
What share of Iowa trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 87.5% in Iowa vs 80.9% nationally.
How many trade schools are in Iowa?
This profile covers 30 trade schools and 10 community colleges (40 total) in Iowa with roughly 45,016 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in Iowa?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 16 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 14 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in Iowa?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: La James International College-Davenport; highest 10-year earnings: Northwest Iowa Community College; lowest net price among large campuses: La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in Iowa?
Among 75 campuses in Iowa, 1 campus with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include Marshalltown Community College; 27 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Roman Catholic (7), United Methodist (4), Evangelical Lutheran Church (4).
How does Iowa compare to its Census region for trade schools?
Iowa is in the Plains region. Regional median net price is $13,566 and median 10-year earnings are $38,648 vs $13,566 net price and $39,060 earnings in Iowa.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- Iowa college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON