A Guide to Online Colleges in Iowa

When our backwoodsmen first reached the open plains, wide meadows, filled with endless stretches of long grass, they didn't know what to call them. So, borrowing from the French inhabitants, decided on prairie. These types of grasslands hold the soil in place and prevent run-off — creating some of the most fertile land in America. Maybe that's why "Land of the Rolling Prairie" is perhaps the most apt title for this once French colony (in fact, Iowa was once French Louisiana) that currently grows one fifth of our nations corn. When thinking of Iowa it's natural to conjure up images of agriculture. But did you know that manufacturing also drives the economy of Iowa? In fact, two of the four cities in the "quad cities" are in Iowa. The quad cities are a region in Iowa and Illinois where boat crews needed to rest upon traveling up and down the Mississippi River. Because of this, Iowa is more than rolling plains and corn crops, Iowa is industrial. But Iowa is more than just a place to grow crops and further industry, it is home to rolling hill, Crystal Lake Cave, ancient bluffs for canoeing and exploring, 7,000 year old civilization, steep and rolling hills, and ancient glacial deposits. Rural Iowa is valuable not only for it's economy but for its raw, unspoiled natural beauty. Iowa is that state that beckons you to not only live on the land but to become part of it.

In-state tuition is often applied to public schools offering online programs. Many online programs require some face-to-face time, or more numerous support services at their brick and mortar locations. Intensive study experiences–often on the weekends or in several week long bouts–enable many online students to accelerate their time until graduation. And students looking at online education can drastically expand their educational options if they also look to hybrid degrees (degrees where degrees can be taken partially, or mostly online). Finally, one of the most common stipulations in scholarships is that students be from a certain state or region, often more funds are available to students seeking degrees in-state.

Many of the top public schools in Iowa offer online programs of study at the associates through master's level. Iowa State University offers 23 programs completely online including an impressive 22 masters degrees in a huge range of areas! Univeristy of Iowa, offers 18 online programs in a broad range of fields from the associate to the master's level including a bachelor's in radiation sciences, M.A. in educational management, an MBA, and several others. University of Northern Iowa offers 3 bachelor's and 17 master's degrees with a focus on education. And for those looking to save money or transfer into a state university, there are a number of online community and state colleges that offer associate's degrees at an affordable price such as Northeast Iowa Community College, Elmsworth Community College, Marshalltown Community College; that all offer a myriad of transferable associate degrees online.

There are also a number of private schools offering degrees online. In fact, the school offering the most online degrees in the state of Iowa is Upper Iowa University offering an impressive 38 total degree programs that range from an associate in general business to a Master's of Business Administration. There's also Briar Cliff, the 30th best school in the region with its 6 online bachelor degree offerings in fields like accounting, business, and nursing. Graceland University offers 6 programs with a focus on nursing while CLark offers 3 master's degrees online in the field of education.

Featured Online Schools

Establishing residency is essential for securing that in-state tuition price. In many cases, paying out-of-state tuition can triple the costs of your education. For the state of Iowa a "resident" is defined as someone who meets the requirement established through the Board of Regents to obtaind the admission, tuitions and fee prices promised to those who live in-state. Simply showing a driver's license or proof of domicile is not enough. You must have done the following: abandoned other domiciles in other states, have been living and working in the state of Iowa either as an independent or dependent for no shorter than 12 complete months, and be in the state of Iowa for reasons solely involving your enrollment in higher education.

In 2015-16 the average published tuition prices for Iowan four-year universities was $6,600 for in-state tuition that's about $2,800 below the national average for public schools. The highest value schools are also our top three picks for online option. The University of Iowa is one of the top schools in the nation and the tuition rates are just over $8,000 for in-state tuition. Out-of-Staters will pay nearly 30,000 a year for this public-ivy university. Iowa State University's annual tuition is $7,969 and another top ranked national university. Again, those out of state pay over $21,000 for tuition. The pattern repeats for all other top public schools. Not to mention,saving on room and board means adding another $40,000 to your pocket. There's something to be said of staying in-state.

Des Moines is the capital city and most populous city in Iowa. Founded on Des Moines River (River of the Monks), this bustling major city is actually sitting on top of a prehistoric civilization. This 7,000 year old site is still the home to house deposits and thousands of artifacts. So it would seem that Des Moines has been an important point of interest for thousands of years. To this day Des Moines is filled with economic opportunity especially for insurance and business according to Business Wire and Forbes magazine. If it's not a job at Facebook, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft or Blue Cross Blue Shield that has you intrigued about Des Moines it may be the ancient burial grounds, rich Native American history, or almost futuristic looking architecture (think geodesic domes). Talk about a mash up for old meets new, Des Moines is a microcosm of American life. For recreation, Des Moines is between the Des Moines River and Raccoon River so there is a plethora of recreational trails and parks to explore. This family-friendly town has a number of things to do for the younger crowds like a visit to the zoo or botanical garden. Adults can enjoy the racetrack and casino's, lounges, and several restaurants ranging from low key to high end.

Historically, Cedar Rapids was an industrial city and has recently seen a revival with its growing economy and expanding employment options. This eastern Iowa city is located on both banks of the Cedar River and is filled with natural beauty and Midwestern charm. The Indian Creek Nature center is 210 acre wildlife refuge that provides miles of trails winding around prairies, wetlands, and plenty of fishing holes. When it comes to athletics, Cedar Rapids has it all, with local offerings in hockey, football, baseball, and soccer. The culinary scene features a great mixture of cultures with a focus on Irish foods and beverages. This ever-expanding city features a unique cultural blend in neighborhoods like the Czech Village and the New Bohemia district — a bustling ethnic arts cultural neighborhood rooted in its Slovak and Moravian past. Not what you would expect from a typical midwest town? This winding city on the Cedar River is filled with cultural gems like the Carl & Mary Koehler History Center offering archives and open to the public. Even more curious is perhaps the multilingual Skala Bartizal Library hosted inside the National Czech and Slovak Museum with its focus on Czech and Slovak culture. Whether hiking, strolling, shopping, rock climbing, or site seeing, Cedar Rapids has something for everyone.

Davenport is one of the quad cites — skirting the Mississippi River in both Iowa and Illinois and located on the border of Iowa and Illinois. Davenport is an economic hub as it is situated half way between Chicago and Des Moines. The quad cities metropolitan area as well as Davenport was ranked according to QcTimes as on of the fastest-growing areas in America for high-tech jobs. Davenport is also full of surprises. Due to its location on the Mississippi River, Davenport is the home of the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, and the Beiderbeck Memorial Jazz Festival (named for Bix Beiderbecke). There are over 50 parks in Davenport like Duck Creek Parkway, and Sunderbruch Park Mountain Bike Trail; so walking and biking are central to the culture. St. Ambrose University, Iowa Wesleyan, and Shiloh University are all located in or around Davenport.

The Best Online Colleges in Iowa

Accreditation

Monitoring the accreditation of a university you are interested in attending is incredibly important. Accreditation ensures your credits can transfer that you can receive Federal financial aid, and most importantly that certain standards of educational quality are during your schooling. The highest accreditation standard for most programs in the United States is provided by regional accreditation agencies. The regional accrediting agency for Iowa is the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional accrediting agencies responsible for accrediting schools in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Making sure that a University you're hoping to attend is regionally accredited — or accredited by a real and respected accrediting agency — is one of the most important choices you can make in ensuring the quality of your education.

Three Steps for Securing Financial Aid

• Submit your FAFSA.

• Check to see if additional forms are needed at your university of choice.

• Search and apply for private scholarships.

Through the previous three steps most students find themselves offered some sort of federal grant, work study, private grant, scholarship, or stipend.

Great Iowa Higher Education Resources

• Iowa Department of Education The IDE includes resources for students, teachers, and parents with up-to-date education standards, insight community colleges, career planning, career and technical education and more.

• Reaching Higher Iowa Reaching Higher Iowa is a non-profit dedicated to improving K-12 education across the state.

• Iowa Community College Online Consortium The ICCOC collects and collaborates data across the consortium of community colleges with an aim to provide improved services to learners seeking the path to an online community college education in Iowa.

• Iowa Board of Regents The Board of Regents mandates diverse, quality, and affordable education for those seeking post-secondary education in the state of Iowa.

• Iowa College Aid The Iowa College Aid advocates for Iowans pursuing higher education through financial aid, college readiness programming, a FAFSA Completion Initiative and more.

• Hawkeye Scholarships Here you'll find a complete list of Hawkeye Scholarships and endowments.

• Iowa State University Scholarships Check out these scholarships from our number one ranked school in the state.

• Iowa State Automatic Scholarship Calculator Use this calculator to see if you automatically qualify for additional scholarships to Iowa State.

• The University of Iowa Scholarships Portal A hub for scholarships available for students attending the University of Iowa.

• River Valley Lodge and Campground To experience one of the most beautiful natural treasure in the state of Iowa visit here.

• City View For all of the goings ons in Des Moines: from politics, to rehabilitation, theater, and food, head here.

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