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Pro Tip
If you’ve earned college credits or an associate degree, research four-year institutions that partner with regional community colleges. You might gain automatic acceptance or scholarships to help you complete your bachelor’s degree.
Earning a bachelor’s degree can help you qualify for more competitive, higher-paying roles. To get the most value from your degree, though, think about your long-term goals and financial situation. Below, we’ll discuss a few factors to consider.
Consider Your Future Goals
Do you already know what you want to study? If so, you’re off to a great start. First, make sure that you can earn your desired degree online. Many schools offer business, liberal arts and criminal justice programs online, but science degrees require significant laboratory time that doesn’t always translate to at-home learning. Next, comb through prospective curriculums for electives, concentrations or projects that match your specific interests.
It also helps to consider whether you want to pursue employment or grad school after graduation. Internships, field experiences and hands-on projects can make you a more competitive candidate in the job market, while capstone and research projects help prepare you for a master’s program.
If you haven’t decided on your career path, look for schools that offer a wide variety of online degrees. This gives you more freedom to complete general education courses and explore potential interests without ultimately limiting yourself to a few bachelor’s degree options.
Alternatively, consider earning your general education credits at a community college. If you’re an Iowa resident, you could cut your tuition cost roughly in half each year by attending a two-year institution instead of a public four-year college, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Many Iowa online colleges offer degree completion programs and maintain partnerships with regional community colleges to ease your transition to a four-year program. You might also qualify for transfer-specific scholarships.
Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options
On average, the colleges ranked here charge between $9,411 and $38,644 in tuition and fees each year. Our list only includes two public institutions: the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. These two options are significantly more affordable than the private colleges.
NCES data offers a statewide comparison. On average, Iowa students paid $10,121 in tuition and fees to attend public four-year universities during the 2022–2023 academic year. In that same time frame, tuition and fees at private institutions in the state cost $37,623 on average.
To reduce your costs, first fill out the FAFSA® to learn about your eligibility for federal financial aid including grants, loans and work-study opportunities. Colleges also use this information to offer automatic need-based scholarships. You can also look for state-specific programs such as the Iowa Tuition Grant, Education & Training Voucher, and Future Ready Iowa Grant. Finally, search for scholarships from third parties based on need, merit or identity.