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Accredited nursing schools in Iowa

21 accredited schools in Iowa offer nursing and patient care programs approved for WIOA funding

These schools are on the US Department of Education's list of accredited schools, and Iowa has approved their programs for workforce funding. Between them they offer 65 of the 69 nursing and patient care programs on the state's list.

The Department doesn't accredit schools itself. It reviews accrediting agencies and lists the ones it recognizes as reliable judges of the quality of the education they accredit.1 Each school below names its accreditor, the year it was first accredited where the list records it, and its next review.

WIOA funding doesn't require accreditation. Besides colleges, a state can approve other public and private training providers,2 so many short courses come from schools that aren't on the Department's list. Their programs and results are on each field's page.

Nursing and patient care programs in Iowa, every school, with costs and results

All job training programs in Iowa

More accredited schools in Iowa: Trade schools · Medical certification programs · Allied health programs · IT schools · Business schools · Beauty schools · First responder schools · Transportation schools · Culinary and hospitality schools · Child care and social services programs

Accredited nursing schools in other states

Accredited RN programs in Iowa

All 18 schools with RN programs on Iowa's list are accredited. They offer all 22 programs. See these programs with prices and results · Other states

Show the other 8 accredited schools

  • Kirkwood Community College

    Cedar Rapids

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2030

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation)

    1 program

  • Mount Mercy University

    Cedar Rapids

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2033

    Accredited program here Nursing: nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education)

    1 program

  • North Iowa Area Community College

    Mason City

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2034

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree programs (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing)

    1 program

  • Northeast Iowa Community College

    Calmar

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2027

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation)

    1 program

  • Northwest Iowa Community College

    Sheldon

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2035

    1 program

  • Southeastern Community College

    West Burlington

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2030

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation)

    1 program

  • Southwestern Community College

    Creston

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2036

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation), preaccredited

    1 program

  • Western Iowa Tech Community College

    Sioux City

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2029

    Accredited program here Nursing: associate degree programs (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing)

    1 program

Accredited CNA programs in Iowa

15 of the 18 schools with CNA programs on Iowa's list are accredited. They offer 19 of the 22 programs. See these programs with prices and results · Other states

Show the other 5 accredited schools

  • Northeast Community College

    Norfolk

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2034

    1 program

  • Northeast Iowa Community College

    Calmar

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2027

    1 program

  • Southeastern Community College

    West Burlington

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2030

    1 program

  • Southwestern Community College

    Creston

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2036

    1 program

  • Western Iowa Tech Community College

    Sioux City

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2029

    1 program

Accredited LPN programs in Iowa

All 14 schools with LPN programs on Iowa's list are accredited. They offer all 14 programs. See these programs with prices and results · Other states

Show the other 4 accredited schools

  • Northwest Iowa Community College

    Sheldon

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2035

    1 program

  • Southeastern Community College

    West Burlington

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2030

    Accredited program here Nursing: practical\Vocational (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation)

    1 program

  • Southwestern Community College

    Creston

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2036

    Accredited program here Nursing: practical\Vocational (National League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation), preaccredited

    1 program

  • Western Iowa Tech Community College

    Sioux City

    Accredited by Higher Learning Commissionnext review 2029

    Accredited program here Nursing: practical nursing programs (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing)

    1 program

Accredited medication aide programs in Iowa

All 8 schools with medication aide programs on Iowa's list are accredited. They offer all 9 programs. See these programs with prices and results

Accredited home health aide programs in Iowa

All 1 schools with home health aide programs on Iowa's list are accredited. They offer all 1 programs. See these programs with prices and results

How we matched Iowa's schools to the accreditation list

Which schools are counted?

Schools with programs Iowa approved for WIOA funding in nursing and patient care, from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).3 The two lists share no ID number, so we matched each school by its website and name in the same state, and checked every unclear case by hand. A school that only hosts a college's classes doesn't count as the college. Where we couldn't tell, the school is left out.

How current is the accreditation?

We read the Department's list of October 24, 2026 and count only current accreditation. The Department notes that agencies report this information, that it isn't audited, and that the agency itself has the latest status.1 Before you enroll, check the school's standing with its accreditor.

Sources for the accreditation facts about Iowa

Show the 3 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Department of Education, Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), data files of 2026-10-24
  2. 20 CFR 680.410, What is an eligible training provider? (eCFR)
  3. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List