Iowa is the Midwestern United States and has a population of 3.1 million according to the 2015 United States Census Bureau estimates. The state is neighbored by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River on the west. The bordering states include Wisconsin and Illinois to the east and South Dakota to the west, and Minnesota to the north. The state’s political center and largest city is Des Moines that hosts Drake University and the World Food Prize. The state of Iowa is endowed with fascinating attractions like Prairie Meadows Racetrack Casino and the Living History Farms in Urbandale. Are there nursing schools in Iowa? You bet!
Some of the top-rated nursing schools in Iowa include the University of Iowa, Mount Mercy University, Coe College, Saint Ambrose University and Luther College. The University of Iowa offers students pursuing a career in nursing many options to set the pace of their dreams with an affordable tuition fee.
The University of Iowa has some of the best nursing career options in the state. These options include Anatomy, BSN-RN, Community Health, EMT, IV Therapy, Manager, Neonatal/Newborn, Nursery, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychiatric/Mental Health, RN-BSN, and Surgical.
About 51 percent of Iowa’s nurses are over 47 years old, and opportunities are endless nursing jobs in long-term care facilities including schools home care, private doctor’s offices, private practice for nurse practitioners and midwives, and medical centers.
Sponsored Schools
Featured Schools
Briar Cliff University School of Nursing
Briar Cliff is a private, Catholic, liberal arts university. All of Briar Cliff’s nursing programs are accredited by CCNE. The standard BSN program prioritizes clinical experience with over 800 hours of clinical practice in a variety of healthcare settings. The school also offers access to renovated simulation, chemistry, and biology labs, plus a working cadaver lab.
Existing RNs can opt to convert their associate degree to a bachelor’s qualification via the fully online RN to BSN program. MSN students can also study online in addition to completing a 540-hour clinical practicum and can specialize as either a Family Nurse Practitioner, an Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner or a Nurse Educator. Existing Nurse Practitioners can go on to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in just two years.
In addition to their coursework and clinical practice, nursing students are active in the Student Nursing Association, the Red Cross Club, and the Pre-professional Health Science club.
3303 Rebecca Street
Sioux City, Iowa 51104
800-662-3303
Website: https://www.briarcliff.edu/
Clarke University School of Nursing
Clarke University is a private, Catholic, co-educational, liberal arts institution. Founded in 1843 by Mary Frances Clarke, foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), it is the only BVM university in the USA. It is home to just over 1,000 students and is proud of its low student to instructor ratio of just 8:1. Applicants to Clarke’s nursing program are considered on a holistic and individual basis.
The nursing curriculum for the traditional first-degree BSN emphasizes caring as its integrating concept. Students can expect three years of hands-on clinical experience, including operating rooms, emergency rooms, diabetic and dialysis centers, cardiac catheter labs, cardiac rehabilitation, and oncology. In their senior year students complete a 120-hour internship with an experienced nurse preceptor. Accreditation for nursing education at Clarke is in place from CCNE.
1550 Clarke Drive,
Dubuque, IA 52001
888-825-2753
Website: http://www.clarke.edu
Coe College School of Nursing
Coe College is a selective, private, co-educational liberal arts institution for approximately 1,400 students located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s second largest city. With an average class size of 16, and a student to faculty ratio of 11:1, Coe is proud of the personal attention that students receive. The BSN program at Coe College has received accreditation from CCNE.
Coe College deploys a distinctive preceptor education model in its four-year pre-licensure BSN program in which students are paired one to one with registered nurse experts for three semesters of clinical learning. Entry to the program via either the high school direct-entry pathway or college level sophomore year entry pathway is selective and competitive.
1220 First Avenue NE,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
319-399-8500
Website: http://www.coe.edu/
Grand View University School of Nursing
Shaped by its Danish and Lutheran heritage, Grand View University sets out to prepare its students to do God’s work in the world regardless of their religious affiliation. Students at Grand View must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to be admitted to the pre-licensure nursing major. They must also achieve a score of at least 80% on Reach A2 examinations in Math and Reading Comprehension. Pre-requisite courses in English, Chemistry, and Biology are also required at grade C or above.
Students will benefit from small class sizes, a flexible schedule and access to a simulation lab during their studies. In addition to the traditional nursing major, Grand View also offers a 14 month full-time or part-time RN to BSN option that is delivered entirely online. CCNE has accredited the nursing programs at Grand View.
1200 Grandview Ave,
Des Moines, IA 50316
515-263-2800
Website: https://www.grandview.edu/
Board of Nursing Approved Nursing Schools in Iowa
Allen College School of Nursing Location: Waterloo, Iowa Programs: BSN, MSN Founded in: 1989 Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.allencollege.eduBriar Cliff University School of Nursing Location: Sioux City, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1930 Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.briarcliff.eduClarke College School of Nursing Location: Dubuque, Iowa Programs: BSN, MSN Founded in: 1843 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.clarke.eduCoe College School of Nursing Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1851 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.coe.eduGrand View College School of Nursing Location: Des Moines, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1896 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.gvc.eduIowa Wesleyan College School of Nursing Location: Mount Pleasant, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1842 Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.iwc.eduLuther College School of Nursing Location: Decorah, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1861 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.luther.eduMercy College of Health Sciences School of Nursing Location: Des Moines, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1995 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.mchs.eduMorningside College School of Nursing Location: Sioux City, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1894 Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN) Website: http://www.morningside.eduMount Mercy College School of Nursing Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Programs: BSN Founded in: 1928 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.mtmercy.eduThe University of Iowa School of Nursing Location: Iowa City, Iowa Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD Founded in: 1847 Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) Website: http://www.uiowa.edu