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“Even in a rural setting, our students train in state-of-the-art facilities with advanced simulation technology that prepares them for real-world care.”
Angie Shilling, Director of Nursing Programs, Northwest Iowa Community College
Nursing has long been one of the most critical and respected professions within the healthcare industry. Registered nurses (RNs) count as the largest group of healthcare providers in the United States. The American Nurses Association estimates that there are over four million RNs in the nation. The training RNs typically complete affords them the desirable quality of flexibility which allows them to work as generalists in many roles in numerous care settings. And yet, the size of the nation’s nursing workforce is still insufficient to meet current and projected near-term future demand. One of the most pressing challenges currently facing the American healthcare workforce is a significant nursing workforce shortage.
The state of Iowa, located in the Midwest, is one of many states confronted with a nursing workforce shortage. In the early 2020s, some seventy percent of medical facilities in Iowa reported difficulty finding qualified nurses to fill positions. Angela Van Pelt, Iowa’s long-term care ombudsman, has described the state’s workforce shortage as its most challenging systemic issue. Shortages of nurses, technicians, and therapists top the list of categories of employees whose lack is causing especially serious problems. Reliable and sufficient staffing is also often compromised by other factors such as retirements, burnout, and violence against hospital employees.
Abuse and violence against healthcare personnel received heightened media attention once the Covid-19 pandemic began in the early 2020s. The impacts of retirement of seasoned nursing staff should not be underestimated. Retirements may not only decimate the workforce but also often impede the critical training and mentoring of new nurses, thereby causing longer-term issues of competence and reliability among the nurses who continue to work. The Iowa Board of Nursing has noted that slightly over one-third of Iowa nurses are over the age of 50. Sometimes dubbed the “Silver Tsunami,” the retirement of the most experienced nursing staff threatens to be a sizable problem for years to come. Enrollment of new nursing students is also a challenge. One major reason for this issue is the lack of both sufficient nursing teachers and the statewide institutional capacity to hire them.
Despite what may seem like numerous insoluble challenges, Iowa is taking steps to address these issues. For example, Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn recently voiced support for the Train More Nurses Act. This act would require the US Department of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to fix the lack of capacity to train new nursing professionals. Given that the issue of capacity is also common throughout the United States, there should be significant support for such a legislative effort. Another solution proposed in other states is the development of state-level nursing workforce centers. Such centers are designed to address nursing workforce challenges in the issues of supply, demand, and education, and thereby ensure a sufficient supply of qualified nurses to meet population-level health needs. Iowa currently has its own nursing workforce center and is a member of the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.
The current nursing workforce shortage in Iowa and across the United States presents an opportunity. With a significant need for enthusiastic, skilled nursing professionals, it will be challenging to meet demand for years to come. It will thus be an employees’ job market within the nursing profession in the immediate future. Experienced and new nurses can potentially harness this current situation to advocate for improvements in many aspects of the profession forcefully.
Read on to discover Iowa’s top undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, salary expectations, and licensing requirements for nursing careers in this state.
Meet the Expert: Angie Shilling, MAM
Angie Shilling is the director of nursing programs at Northwest Iowa Community College, where she is committed to preparing future nurses for the challenges of the healthcare field. With a strong background in nursing practice and education, she emphasizes the importance of hands-on experience and compassionate patient care in her teaching. Her approach combines rigorous academic instruction with real-world clinical insights, aiming to equip students with the skills and empathy necessary for effective nursing. She holds an associate degree in nursing from NCC, a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Briar Cliff University, and a master’s degree in management with specialization in healthcare administration from Briar Cliff.
NursingColleges.com: What do you wish the public understood about nursing programs in Iowa?
Shilling: In Northwest Iowa, nursing programs are helping meet the urgent need for healthcare workers by offering high-quality, affordable education close to home. We serve a wide range of students, from recent high school graduates to adults changing careers, and provide strong support to help them succeed. Even in a rural setting, our students train in state-of-the-art facilities with advanced simulation technology that prepares them for real-world care.
Through strong partnerships with local hospitals, clinics, long-term care centers, and mental health facilities, students gain valuable experience in both rural and urban settings. These opportunities help develop well-rounded, safe nurses who are ready to serve their communities from day one…
Our students consistently achieve outstanding results, with NCLEX pass rates above the national average. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of both students and faculty, as well as the strong support services NCC provides to help students succeed, from tutoring to academic advising to career counseling.
NursingColleges.com: What advice would you give to aspiring online nursing students in Iowa?
Shilling: While nursing courses at NCC are offered in person to support strong student relationships and hands-on learning, we understand the value of online options for completing prerequisites and general education courses. For students taking these online classes, it’s important to stay organized, communicate regularly with instructors, and actively engage with the material.
Using online courses to get started can be a great first step, especially for those balancing work or family. Just remember that nursing is a collaborative profession, and success in a nursing program depends not only on academic knowledge but also on developing clinical judgment, teamwork, and communication skills best learned through in-person experiences.
Accredited BSN Programs in Iowa
The University of Iowa College of Nursing has a national reputation for educational excellence. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the fourth best BSN program in 2024, the College of Nursing offers innovative undergraduate nursing education provided by world-renowned faculty and made possible through close cooperation with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) system. Through partnership with UIHC the College of Nursing operates the Nursing Clinical Education Center, a center where students gain hands-on experience practicing nursing care in specialty and clinical scenarios. Students will find a university environment rich with opportunities for learning, research and clinical experience.
The University of Iowa offers two bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree programs. The BSN pre-licensure (direct admission) program is a four-year, full-time, on-campus program designed for high school students committed to pursuing a nursing career. This program has the capacity to accept up to eighty students for study beginning each autumn. Though standardized test scores have not been recently used as an admission eligibility criteria, students who report their scores to the University’s Office of Admissions may be considered still more competitive by doing so. The RN-BSN program accepts existing nursing professionals with formal training via an associates degree in nursing or a nursing diploma program. This online program enhances nursing professionals’ existing skills and thereby broadens their career prospects and earning potential. By virtue of its online delivery format this option is available to students throughout Iowa. Though the RN to BSN program is only two years long the net full time investment of either program is essentially four years as the past training RN-BSN students have completed is typically roughly two years long.
- Location: Iowa City, IA
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The University of Dubuque (UD) Department of Nursing is committed to educating nursing professionals to deliver the highest quality care within the dynamic, multicultural healthcare landscape of the present era. The Department of Nursing offers a four-year, pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. The program consists of 61 credit hours of in-person nursing core courses. As with any bachelor’s degree program, successful completion of the BSN program also requires graduation from UD’s general education and elective coursework.
UD offers two pathways for early admission. Applicants will be considered preferred applicants if they meet one or a number of particular criteria. Some of these criteria include high achievement in previous college coursework, completion of prerequisite natural science courses in the last seven years, and completion of all nursing prerequisite courses at UD. A full listing of these criteria can be found in the description of the BSN program on the UD website.
- Location: Dubuque, IA
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
St. Ambrose University (SAU) offers a 124-credit-hour bachelor of science in nursing degree. The curriculum provides students a holistic training necessary to effectively care for patients’ health. Students are trained to attend to patients’ physical, spiritual, psychosocial and cultural health. SAU is, in this regard, remarkable as many nursing programs do not necessarily posit the existence and value of something known as cultural health. As cultural values and heritage can sometimes prove a hindrance to finding quality healthcare, and on occasion elicit a lack of empathy and even a discriminatory response from providers, students with a particular interest in how healthcare can be and is culturally contextualized may find the SAU program to be of particular interest.
Graduates are trained to provide person-centered, holistic patient care guided by training in the legal and ethical aspects of professional nursing, the most current standards of care and principles of human dignity, autonomy and social justice. The curriculum also provides training in navigating complex healthcare delivery systems, palliative and supportive care, pharmacological concepts and principles, and the composition and functioning of global healthcare systems. Students interested in broadening their skills to work with populations who speak another language may be interested in completing a certificate in Spanish for health and human services professionals. This 18 credit certificate program is offered through SAU’s Spanish department.
- Location: Davenport, IA
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The Luther College Nursing Department offers a bachelor of science in nursing degree program featuring a hands-on approach that blends nursing studies with the liberal arts. Liberal arts training further rounds out nursing development by instilling in students the importance of working in a professional, empathetic and ethical manner. Unlike many nursing programs, Luther College nursing students begin hands-on training in their very first year. As freshmen, nursing students will train in both regional hospitals as well as long-term care facilities. Students also receive the guidance of an assigned faculty advisor beginning in their first year. During their senior year students will train at Mayo Clinic.
Students benefit from Luther College’s numerous partnerships throughout their studies. Luther College has partnerships with local clinics, the internationally respected Mayo Clinic, and the Nottingham National Health Service in England provide students the opportunity to experience nursing practice in national, international, rural and urban contexts. Students have the option to participate in a summer program in Nottingham in which they live with other students in community, complete coursework at the University of Nottingham and travel through both the United Kingdom and even Ireland.
Luther College offers a direct-entry program option for high school students. In order to be considered eligible, students must have a minimum unadjusted high school GPA of 3.3. The first twenty-five students who reserve their spot receive $1,000 through the Cross Family Fund for Excellence in Nursing.
- Location: Decorah, IA
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Coe College has a bachelor of science in nursing degree program known for being elite, selective, and successful in educating excellent nurses. Coe College has also had the distinction of being one of only a few colleges nationwide to have record-large incoming student cohorts in the early 2020s. Coe College BSN students experience numerous benefits, including a high-quality education, support with career planning, a focus on campus infrastructure, and the advantages of its location in Cedar Rapids. Courses take place in interactive classrooms with small class sizes, providing ample opportunity for individualized attention.
Nursing students complete three full terms of one-on-one clinical practice with a registered nurse and also meet on-site to dialogue with faculty about their clinical experience. Students may complete their clinical experience requirement in a number of settings, such as intensive care, emergency care, surgical, mental health, NICU and much more. Students can further enhance their skills through study abroad opportunities. As they near the end of their studies students can also take advantage of a comprehensive review course designed to prepare them for sitting for the NCLEX-RN exam. BSN program graduates are typically aggressively recruited due to their exceptional clinical training and professionalism.
- Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Accredited Graduate Nursing Programs in Iowa
The mission of Allen College Nursing Programs is to offer students nursing education programming designed to meet the nursing practice competencies and standards necessary to successfully work in a variety of practice settings. All programs are designed according to a common mission of teaching, scholarship, service and practice. Values that infuse curriculum design include inclusion, caring, professionalism, and deep commitments to service, partnership, and lifelong learning. Programs train students to provide quality, safe, and culturally sensitive care to individual patients as well as families, communities, and whole patient populations.
The Allen College School of Nursing offers students a master of science in nursing degree program pathways to obtain a master of science in nursing (MSN) nurse practitioner program with four distinct tracks. These are family nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, adult gerontological acute care nurse practitioner, and acute care pediatric nurse practitioner. Students can also choose an MSN with a leadership in healthcare delivery-administration (LEAD) track. Students of this program automatically receive a twenty-five percent tuition discount. Students may complete programs on a part- of full-time basis.
Interested individuals should note that Allen College will be phasing out these MSN programs in 2025 and transforming programming into doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs. The last semester available for enrolling in the nurse practitioner MSN program is January 2025. However, the LEAD track will continue beyond Spring 2025.
- Location: Waterloo, IA
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Originally founded as a women’s college in 1930, Briar Cliff University today provides online and graduate nursing degree programs. The university’s master of science in nursing program is a three-year part-time program featuring primarily online coursework. Some program requirements vary among the three track options offered. Students may choose from the family nurse practitioner, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner tracks.
All tracks include a 750-hour clinical training component. Students provide primary care in clinical placements set in rural, underserved, or multicultural settings. All three program tracks also feature roughly the same number of credit hours required for graduation and can typically be completed in approximately 33 months. Upon graduation, students can sit for the certification exam specific to their chosen nursing specialty.
Graduates enter the workforce ready to develop and consistently provide caring, competent relationships with a variety of patients. They possess the training necessary to serve as decision-makers and leaders in both the daily art of healthcare delivery and policy development related to care delivery and the functioning of healthcare systems. In addition, graduates are also skilled in evaluating their own nursing practice performance, the performance of colleagues, and adopting accountability measures to assure reliable, competent caregiving.
- Location: Sioux City, IA
- Duration: Thirty-three months
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Mount Mercy University has been the standard bearer for excellence in nursing education in eastern Iowa for over 90 years. The online master of science in nursing degree program is designed to meet the needs of the present within an industry known for its continual rapid evolution. The curriculum trains students in topics such as health promotion, disease prevention, management and leadership. Students also gain experience in the analysis of research, policy, healthcare systems and nursing practice and apply their knowledge to improve care outcomes for individuals and patient populations. Graduates enter the workforce ready to provide exceptional, compassionate care.
Students may specialize in one of three areas of emphasis. These are nurse education, health advocacy, and nursing administration. Health advocacy students learn to design, implement, manage, and lead health care population management programs. Nurse administration students learn the skills to lead health care organizations. Finally, nurse education students design and implement educational programs in both academic and health care provider settings. All three emphases are 36-credit-hour programs and feature core courses common to all three options, as well as courses specifically targeted to the student’s selected emphasis. The program is designed to be flexible, accommodating the needs of working individuals. Students can complete one course at a time.
- Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
- Duration: Sixteen to seventeen months
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The University of Iowa offers a 66-semester-hour master of science in nursing (MSN) entry into practice program. Also called a “direct entry” program, this MSN program is a full-time accelerated nursing program designed to prepare students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field to enter the nursing profession. Students benefit from small class sizes and a robust clinical placement program that operates in collaboration with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC). The UIHC is one of the largest teaching and research hospitals in the United States.
Students begin accruing clinical experience in their first semester of study. Students must complete a total of 765 clinical training hours in order to graduate.
Upon graduation, students will be prepared to promptly enter the workforce. They will be well prepared to take the nursing licensure (NCLEX-RN) exam. This accelerated MSN program can serve as a bridge program to students interested in becoming a PhD-prepared nurse as well as those seeking to complete a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree. Given the wealth of connections and reputation of the University of Iowa, students who proceed to doctoral studies can expect to find ample opportunities to further broaden their career potential.
- Location: Iowa City, IA
- Duration: Twenty months
- Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Nursing School Accreditation
Accreditation is a process designed to provide appropriate recognition, operational continuity and information vital to academic degree programs, institutions of higher education, the larger regulatory bureaucracy in which academic institutions function, and both current and prospective students. Accreditation is a third-party attestation to the integrity and capacity of both academic programs and institutions of higher education.
Accreditation attests that both academic programs and institutions of higher education provide educational services of such quality that they reliably prepare students to become professionals capable of meaningfully offering their skills within the labor market.
Accreditation is also critical to sustaining demand for educational providers. Accreditation supports such demand by providing prospective and current students peace of mind. Accredited academic programs and their corresponding institutions of higher education give applicants confidence that their decision to pursue additional education will be a worthwhile investment. Current students benefit from knowing the fruits of their current studies will be respected by the labor market. Academic nursing programs are typically accredited by one of two accrediting organizations. These are the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
In Iowa, nursing professionals both seek and renew their licenses through the Iowa Board of Nursing. Because licensure requirements typically vary according to state as well as what type of nursing an individual practices, it is important for both prospective and current nursing professionals to clearly understand licensure requirements when making critical career decisions.
A compact license is a license that allows a nurse to practice in all member states of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC allows a registered nurse holding a compact license to work in any state that is a member of the NLC. In other words, a compact license allows a nurse to practice in both a home state (state of residency) as well as all NLC member states. While holding a compact license in an NLC member state has certain very real advantages, it is important to remember that the NLC requires nurses to abide by the nursing practice laws and rules of whatever state or states in which they practice. Nurses must always be licensed in the states where they provide nursing services at the time such services are rendered. Iowa is one among the majority of states that is in fact a nurse licensure compact state.
Continuing education is generally required to maintain and renew a nursing license. If a nurse decides to move out of state or pursue work in a different specialization, the nurse may need to fulfill additional education or other requirements to practice elsewhere.
How Much Do Nurses Make in Iowa?
These numbers represent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2024—the latest data available as of June 2025.
Licensed Practical Nurse Salaries
| United States | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 632,430 | 5,520 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $64,150 | $59,540 |
| 10th percentile | $47,960 | $48,510 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $62,340 | $59,460 |
| 90th percentile | $80,510 | $75,320 |
Registered Nurse Salaries
| United States | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 3,282,100 | 33,480 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $98,430 | $77,780 |
| 10th percentile | $66,030 | $62,210 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $93,600 | $76,960 |
| 90th percentile | $135,320 | $98,280 |
Nurse Anesthetist Salaries
| United States | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 50,350 | 580 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $231,700 | $245,780 |
| 10th percentile | $137,230 | $204,630 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $223,210 | $229,950 |
| 90th percentile | >$239,200 | >$239,200 |
Nurse Midwife Salaries
| United States | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 8,280 | 70 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $128,110 | $149,040 |
| 10th percentile | $74,670 | $82,950 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $128,790 | $136,450 |
| 90th percentile | $177,040 | $204,960 |
Nurse Practitioner Salaries
| United States | Iowa | |
|---|---|---|
| Number employed | 307,390 | 2,810 |
| Average annual salary (mean) | $132,000 | $133,020 |
| 10th percentile | $97,960 | $102,150 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $129,210 | $129,420 |
| 90th percentile | $169,950 | $167,110 |
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Board of Nursing | Iowa requires LPN license applicants to have the following qualifications:
| Iowa requires their licensed LPNs to do the following every three years for renewal:
|
Registered Nurse (RN) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
|
Iowa requires RN license applicants to have the following qualifications:
|
Registered nurses in Iowa must do the following every three years for renewal:
|
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
In the state of Iowa, CNSs are licensed in the category of ARNPs and require the following to be licensed:
| Renewal of an RN license is required before renewing an ARNP license in Iowa. Then, applicants must complete the ARNP application and pay the fee. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
|
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Board of Nursing | Advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) in Iowa can register as CNMs. The requirements to be licensed are:
| CNM license holders in Iowa must renew both their ARNP license and RN license at the same time. Applicants must complete the ARNP application and pay the fee. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
|
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
In the state of Iowa, NPs are licensed in the category of Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) and require the following to be licensed:
| License renewal for ARNP in Iowa is required every three years. Renewal of a Registered Nurse license is required before renewing an ARNP license. Then, applicants must complete the ARNP application and pay the fee. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
|
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CNRA) Licensure in Iowa
| Licensing Authority | Eligibility & Details | Renewal Requirements |
|---|---|---|
In the state of Iowa, CRNAs are licensed in the category of advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNPs) and require the following to be licensed:
| Iowa requires ARNPs to renew their license every three years. Renewal of an RN license is required before renewing an ARNP license. Then, applicants must complete the ARNP application and pay a fee. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
|
Bernd Geels
WriterBernd Geels is a Berlin, Germany-based freelance writer and artist. He holds an undergraduate degree in atmospheric science and two graduate degrees. He completed his most recent graduate degree in international environmental studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in 2011. He is interested in healthcare, climate change, marine conservation, indigenous science and refugee issues. You can reach him directly at [email protected].
Kimmy Gustafson
WriterThanks to her experience writing in healthcare, Kimmy Gustafson has delivered in-depth articles on timely topics for NursingColleges.com since 2022. Her aim is to assist both students and professionals in navigating the intricate process of selecting a nursing program and understanding the ever-evolving realm of nursing education.
Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working, she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.