Iowa Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in Iowa: 40 trade and vocational campuses (30 trade schools, 10 community colleges) median net price $12,827 (-9.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $43,170 (+8.2% vs U.S.) median completion rate 66.8% employment-outcome proxy 89.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
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 $12,827. 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) | — | $12,827 | $9,707 | 66.8% | 45,016 |
| Plains (region median) | — | $12,604 | $9,707 | 61.9% | 276,411 |
| United States | — | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 |
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) | $43,170 | 89.7% | 82.9% | 15.0% | — | 59.5% | 0.24 |
| United States | $39,899 | 85.5% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.25 |
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 | $12,827 | $9,707 | 66.8% | 45,016 | $43,170 | 89.7% |
| Kansas (KS) | N/A | $12,380 | $9,500 | 55.0% | 47,115 | $44,383 | 88.5% |
| Missouri (MO) | N/A | $15,398 | $9,500 | 71.9% | 63,496 | $39,077 | 87.0% |
| Nebraska (NE) | N/A | $8,723 | $8,543 | 56.0% | 24,495 | $39,342 | 87.7% |
| Minnesota (MN) | N/A | $17,158 | $12,000 | 51.2% | 80,399 | $49,038 | 90.4% |
| United States | N/A | $14,111 | $9,500 | 66.8% | 5,468,406 | $39,899 | 85.5% |
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 | $33,030 | 88.5% | N/A | 8.8% | — | 54.4% |
| Public | 16 | $45,564 | 90.0% | 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, 100.0%, Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines
Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 100.0%, Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 96.9%, Capri College-Cedar Rapids
Capri College-Cedar Rapids
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 91.9%, PCI Academy-Iowa City
PCI Academy-Iowa City
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 90.0%, Capri College-Dubuque
Capri College-Dubuque
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 86.4%, Capri College-Davenport
Capri College-Davenport
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 86.1%, Aveda Institute-Des Moines
Aveda Institute-Des Moines
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Rank 8, Completion Rate, 85.0%, La James International College-Cedar Falls
La James International College-Cedar Falls
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Rank 9, Completion Rate, 82.9%, PCI Academy-Ames
PCI Academy-Ames
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Rank 10, Completion Rate, 82.5%, La James International College-Davenport
La James International College-Davenport
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, 95.0%, Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 93.4%, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 93.0%, Capri College-Cedar Rapids
Capri College-Cedar Rapids
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 92.9%, Aveda Institute-Des Moines
Aveda Institute-Des Moines
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 92.0%, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 92.0%, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 91.4%, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 90.6%, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 90.5%, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 90.3%, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
Top 10 trade schools in Iowa by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $53,565, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,369, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $44,290, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,814, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,704, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,843, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,654, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,187, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,017, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $41,552, 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, $55,945, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,754, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,321, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,711, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,073, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,688, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,757, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,640, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,397, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $43,360, Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Central Community 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, $56,288, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,267, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $47,167, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $47,058, Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,335, Iowa Western Community College
Iowa Western Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,331, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,039, Iowa Central Community College
Iowa Central Community College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,714, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,413, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,685, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area 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, $238,674, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $220,348, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $215,424, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $205,892, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $202,184, Southwestern Community College
Southwestern Community College
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $199,706, Eastern Iowa Community College District
Eastern Iowa Community College District
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $194,996, Emmaus Bible College
Emmaus Bible College
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $192,780, Southeastern Community College
Southeastern Community College
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $192,175, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $192,062, Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa 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, $7,234, Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown Community College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $7,005, Des Moines Area Community College
Des Moines Area Community College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $8,510, North Iowa Area Community College
North Iowa Area Community College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $9,042, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Western Iowa Tech Community College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $10,553, Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $12,665, Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College
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Rank 7, Net Price, $9,580, Emmaus Bible College
Emmaus Bible College
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Rank 8, Net Price, $12,300, Ellsworth Community College
Ellsworth Community College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $11,505, Indian Hills Community College
Indian Hills Community College
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Rank 10, Net Price, $12,073, Kirkwood Community College
Kirkwood Community College
Student debt: Iowa vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Iowa is $9,707 (+2.2% vs U.S. median $9,500). Regional median: $9,707. Rank: #33 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #4 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 $43,170 (+8.2% 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 89.7% at the median Iowa campus (+4.2 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 $9,707 (+2.2% above the U.S. median of $9,500, and 0.0% vs the Plains regional median of $9,707). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #33 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #4 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 $43,170, about +8.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($39,899).
The median campus reports 89.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 85.5% (+4.2 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 65.2%—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 #16 and employment proxy #5 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City (95.0%), Northwest Iowa Community College (93.4%), Capri College-Cedar Rapids (93.0%), Aveda Institute-Des Moines (92.9%), Northeast Iowa Community College (92.0%), North Iowa Area Community College (92.0%), Marshalltown Community College (91.4%), Kirkwood Community College (90.6%), Hawkeye Community College (90.5%), Southwestern Community College (90.3%)—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 $33,030 (14 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $45,564 (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 66.8% (national institution average about 66.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in Iowa?
Among trade schools and community colleges in Iowa, median net price is $12,827 vs $14,111 nationally (-9.1% 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 $9,707 vs a U.S. median of $9,500 (Iowa ranks #33 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 $43,170 vs $39,899 nationally. Six-year medians are $39,501.
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 89.7% in Iowa vs 85.5% 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: Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines; highest 10-year earnings: Northwest Iowa Community College; lowest net price among large campuses: Marshalltown Community College. 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 reports at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; 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 $12,604 and median 10-year earnings are $43,240 vs $12,827 net price and $43,170 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
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