Best Online Master’s Programs in Iowa 2024

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Academic Influence Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Iowa ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Drake University
Maharishi International University
University of Northern Iowa
Loras College
Graceland University
Clarke University
Simpson College
Iowa Wesleyan University
Des Moines University
St. Ambrose University

Grand View University 98%
University of Northern Iowa 95%
Maharishi International University 93%
Loras College 90%
Simpson College 89%
Dordt University 88%
Northwestern College 87%
Clarke University 85%
University of Dubuque 85%
Iowa Wesleyan University 81%

William Penn University 18 to 1
University of Northern Iowa 17 to 1
Northwestern College 15 to 1
Dordt University 14 to 1
Mount Mercy University 13 to 1
Maharishi International University 13 to 1
Graceland University 13 to 1
Morningside University 13 to 1
Iowa Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Loras College 12 to 1

Drake University $47,742
Simpson College $45,108
Buena Vista University $38,644
University of Dubuque $38,526
Clarke University $38,060
Mount Mercy University $37,606
Morningside University $36,610
Loras College $36,570
Iowa Wesleyan University $34,700
Dordt University $34,600

Maharishi International University $29,000
Des Moines University $21,062
St. Ambrose University $19,040
Loras College $13,410
Clarke University $12,868
Drake University $11,878
Graceland University $11,688
Mount Mercy University $11,106
Morningside University $10,548
William Penn University $10,500

Morningside University
Northwestern College
Dordt University
William Penn University
Maharishi International University
Mount Mercy University
Buena Vista University
Clarke University
Simpson College
St. Ambrose University

Dordt University
Morningside University
Buena Vista University
Northwestern College
Mount Mercy University
Grand View University
William Penn University
University of Dubuque
St. Ambrose University
Des Moines University

William Penn University 58%
Drake University 67%
Morningside University 71%
St. Ambrose University 74%
Graceland University 74%
Mount Mercy University 75%
Buena Vista University 77%
Iowa Wesleyan University 81%
University of Dubuque 85%
Clarke University 85%

University of Dubuque 9 to 1
Clarke University 9 to 1
Drake University 10 to 1
Simpson College 10 to 1
Loras College 12 to 1
Grand View University 12 to 1
St. Ambrose University 12 to 1
Buena Vista University 12 to 1
Mount Mercy University 13 to 1
Maharishi International University 13 to 1

University of Northern Iowa $8,111
Maharishi International University $16,530
William Penn University $27,800
Graceland University $31,970
Grand View University $32,068
Northwestern College $34,250
St. Ambrose University $34,570
Dordt University $34,600
Iowa Wesleyan University $34,700
Loras College $36,570

Northwestern College $6,120
Iowa Wesleyan University $6,420
Simpson College $6,526
University of Dubuque $7,440
Grand View University $8,730
Dordt University $9,360
University of Northern Iowa $9,691
Buena Vista University $9,936
William Penn University $10,500
Morningside University $10,548

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Iowa

With a large number of both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Iowa, students have plenty of great schools to choose from.

Iowa’s largest public university, Iowa State University, serves over 30,000 students and offers extra flexibility for both undergraduate and graduate students through a selection of online degree programs in more than 50 academic fields including business administration, psychology, computer science, and more.

The University of Iowa-home of the Hawkeyes-is also home to some of the nation’s top programs in literature, philosophy, and law. The University of Iowa has also been at the forefront of higher education, starting the nation’s first co-educational medical school, as well as being the first public school to grant a law degree to a woman, Mary B. Hickey Wilkinson, in 1873.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

For prospective students hoping to obtain their degrees at a smaller school, Iowa offers over 40 options to choose from. For a more affordable option, students can pay $4,000 per year for tuition at Indian Hills Community College. Like most community colleges in Georgia, Indian Hills also offers an array of online programs.

At the other end of the spectrum, students will pay up to $52,000 for an academic year at Grinnell College. Furthermore, nearly half of the schools in Iowa are religiously affiliated.

Iowa is often recognized for its agriculture as it produces the most pork and corn in the nation. Equally noteworthy is Iowa’s wealth of one-of-a-kind roadside attractions. From the largest wooden nickel, to the crookedest street, to the Grotto of Redemption, The Hawkeye State is full of wonders. Students in search of curiosities and oddities while earning a degree can attend one of Iowa’s public or private colleges.

Whether you’re looking to earn your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, Iowa offers a wealth of on-campus and online learning options. Discover more about Iowa’s top brick-and-mortar and online programs as well as top career paths in the state of Iowa.

What are Iowa’s Colleges & Universities?

Iowa’s Best Overall

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

How do we determine Iowa's best online master's degree programs?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Online Master’s Program in Iowa 2023

Iowa’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest

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Best Online Master’s Programs in Iowa 2024

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in Iowa

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in Iowa

What are Iowa’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Online Master’s Program in Iowa 2023

Career Outlook for degree at Drake University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

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Career Outlook for degree at University of Northern Iowa

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Career Outlook for degree at Loras College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Graceland University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at Grand View University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for degree at Des Moines University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Dubuque

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Career Outlook for degree at St. Ambrose University

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Career Outlook for degree at Simpson College

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Career Outlook for degree at Clarke University

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Career Outlook for degree at Buena Vista University

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Career Outlook for degree at Mount Mercy University

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Career Outlook for degree at Maharishi International University

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Career Outlook for degree at William Penn University

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Career Outlook for degree at Dordt University

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Career Outlook for degree at Northwestern College

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Career Outlook for degree at Morningside University

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Iowa’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest