Iowa's 15 community colleges cover every region of the state — and Future Ready Iowa's Last Dollar Scholarship covers remaining tuition after other aid, making your LPN education potentially free. DMACC (Des Moines), Kirkwood CC (Cedar Rapids), and Iowa Western CC (Council Bluffs/Omaha border) serve the state's major markets. UnityPoint Health, MercyOne, and UI Health Care recruit from these programs. NLC compact state with cost of living 10% below average.
🏫 Community College = Best Value🏥 Local Clinical Placement💰 From ~$5K✅ Accredited Programs
If you're researching LPN programs in Iowa, the state's 15 community colleges should be at the top of your list — and Future Ready Iowa may make your education completely free. The Last Dollar Scholarship covers remaining tuition and mandatory fees at Iowa community colleges after Pell Grants and other aid are applied — and nursing is a designated high-demand field, making LPN students automatically eligible. Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) serves the state's largest metro, Kirkwood Community College covers the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor (home to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, one of the top academic medical centers in the Midwest), and Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs gives you Iowa tuition rates with access to the Omaha, Nebraska healthcare market across the river — your NLC license works in both states. UnityPoint Health (Iowa's largest system), MercyOne, and UI Health Care all recruit directly from Iowa's community college nursing pipeline. Private programs charge $18,000–$30,000 for the same Board-approved curriculum. No Iowa Board-approved LPN program finishes in under 10 months. Iowa is an NLC compact state, so your license works in Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and 35+ other states.
🔄 Need More Flexibility? Compare Online & Evening Programs
Community colleges are the best deal — but they often have waitlists, limited seats, and 1–2 start dates per year. If you need evening/weekend classes, multiple start dates, or online coursework with clinicals arranged near you, these accredited programs fill that gap. Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear.
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~$6K
Avg. Program Cost
10–12
Months (Fastest)
$59K+
Avg. IA LPN Salary
NCLEX-PN
Licensure Exam
How Community College LPN Programs Work in Iowa
Iowa's community college LPN programs run 10–14 months depending on full-time or part-time enrollment. Here's what to expect:
Accelerated full-time: Classes and clinicals 4–5 days/week, 10–12 month completion
Hybrid/online theory: Study lectures at home, attend clinicals on set days — still 11–14 months
Evening/weekend tracks: Designed for working adults, typically 14–18 months
Community colleges in Iowa offer some of the most affordable paths — often under $8,000 total tuition for in-district students. Private nursing schools cost more but sometimes offer faster schedules and more flexible clinical placement.
Accredited LPN Schools in Iowa
All schools listed are accredited and approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing. Verify current enrollment status directly with each school.
Des Moines Area CC
📍 Ankeny
HybridCommunity College
Length: 12 monthsFormat: Online theory + local clinicalsCost: ~$5,800Clinical: Polk County partners
Kirkwood Community College
📍 Cedar Rapids
HybridCommunity College
Length: 12 monthsFormat: Online theory + local clinicalsCost: ~$5,600Clinical: Linn County facilities
Iowa LPN Licensure Requirements
Requirement
Detail
Governing Body
Iowa Board of Nursing
Program Accreditation
Must be state board-approved
Minimum Clinical Hours
380 hours
Licensure Exam
NCLEX-PN (Pearson VUE)
Background Check
Required prior to clinical placement
CPR Certification
Required before clinical start
Drug Screening
Required by most clinical partner facilities
Immunizations
Per program/facility requirements
🔄 Can't Get Into a Community College Program? Compare Alternatives
Waitlisted? Need evening classes or a different start date? These programs offer flexible schedules and online options with local clinicals. Sponsored listings.
Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear. By submitting, you agree to receive information from schools that match your interests.
LPN Salary in Iowa
Licensed Practical Nurses in Iowa earn an average of $59,640/year ($28.67/hour) according to the BLS. Salaries vary by city, experience, and work setting.
Des Moines: $62,400/year
Cedar Rapids: $60,200/year
Top employers: Skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospitals, physician offices
Community colleges cost a fraction of private programs, deliver the same Board-approved curriculum and clinical hours, and often have equal or better NCLEX-PN pass rates. They also place you at local hospitals where you'll likely work after graduation. The only downside: waitlists and limited start dates. If you can get a seat, a community college is almost always the best choice.
The fastest accredited programs run about 10–12 months for full-time students. Some accelerated tracks at technical colleges can get close to 10 months, but you'll be in class and clinicals nearly every day. Part-time or hybrid programs typically take 14–18 months.
Community college programs often run $4,000–$12,000 for in-district students. Private and nationally accredited programs can range from $18,000–$35,000. Financial aid, grants, and employer tuition assistance may be available.
After graduating from an approved program and applying through the Iowa Board of Nursing, you schedule your NCLEX-PN exam through Pearson VUE. Testing centers are located in major Iowa cities.
Hybrid programs that combine online theory with in-person clinicals are legitimate and approved by state boards. However, any program claiming to be 100% online with no clinical requirement is not accredited and will not qualify you for NCLEX-PN or licensure.
⚠️ Data Disclaimer: Salary figures, tuition costs, program lengths, and school information are gathered from publicly available sources and intended as general guidance. Program availability, accreditation, and tuition are subject to change — verify details with the school and Iowa Board of Nursing before enrolling. This page may contain affiliate links.
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