Federal data
Highest earning associate's liberal arts programs in Iowa
Iowa liberal arts programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa Lakes Community College | Estherville | Public, 2-year | $31,966 | 43 |
| 2 | Western Iowa Tech Community College | Sioux City | Public, 2-year | $31,936 | 71 |
| 3 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public, 2-year | $31,453 | 478 |
| 4 | Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public, 2-year | $30,321 | 150 |
| 5 | Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public, 2-year | $29,838 | 312 |
| 6 | Marshalltown Community College | Marshalltown | Public, 2-year | $29,836 | 58 |
| 7 | Southwestern Community College | Creston | Public, 2-year | $28,706 | 44 |
| 8 | Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public, 2-year | $28,291 | 262 |
| 9 | Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public, 2-year | $27,697 | 173 |
| 10 | Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa | Public, 2-year | $27,483 | 176 |
| 11 | North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public, 2-year | $27,433 | 98 |
| 12 | Southeastern Community College | West Burlington | Public, 2-year | $24,968 | 78 |
| 13 | Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public, 2-year | $23,747 | 172 |
| 14 | Ellsworth Community College | Iowa Falls | Public, 2-year | $22,519 | 31 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.