Hawkeye Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Computer Science Programs in Waterloo, IA (2026)
Waterloo, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $5,304 to $14,797 per year for indexed programs. Waterloo has a population of about 66,947. Median household income is $56,344 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $132,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Computer Science Schools to Waterloo
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer computer science programs near Waterloo. Distances are calculated from Waterloo city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Waterloo. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
University of Northern Iowa
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Marshalltown Community College
Published tuition$5,304 - $13,993
Online programsYes
Northeast Iowa Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Kirkwood Community College
Published tuition$5,980 - $14,797
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa computer science page.
Computer Science Wages Near Waterloo
Waterloo is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area (BLS area code 47940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $113,970 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $130,850 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $80,140 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $92,009 |
| Computer Network Architect | $103,050 | IA statewide | $118,312 |
| Database Administrator | $101,210 | IA statewide | $116,200 |
| Database Architect | $124,040 | IA statewide | $142,411 |
| Information Security Analyst | $106,350 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $122,101 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $59,410 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $68,209 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $59,630 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $68,462 |
| Web Developer | $78,140 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $89,713 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $69,060 | IA statewide | $79,288 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | $132,210 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $151,791 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Waterloo at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,947 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,344 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.6% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 87.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Computer Science-related employment in Black Hawk County | 643 workers, 110 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs
- Cedar Falls, IA – 5.5 mi away (41,390 pop)
- Marshalltown, IA – 42.5 mi away (26,640 pop)
- Marion, IA – 49.9 mi away (38,480 pop)
- Cedar Rapids, IA – 50.1 mi away (184,610 pop)
- Mason City, IA – 62.5 mi away (26,487 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited computer science schools are near Waterloo, IA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Waterloo. The closest is Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, IA (4.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kirkwood Community College (53.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Waterloo?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Waterloo are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($132,210), Database Architect ($124,040), Software Developer ($113,970). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Cedar Falls instead of Waterloo?
Cedar Falls, IA is 5.5 miles from Waterloo and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Waterloo an affordable place to study computer science?
Waterloo’s median household income of $56,344 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterloo while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Computer Science Programs
- Computer Science accreditation: what to look for
- Computer Science concentrations and specializations
- Is a Computer Science degree worth it?
- Main Computer Science degree guide
- Online Computer Science programs in Iowa
- Computer Science programs by state
Other Programs Available in Waterloo
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterloo:
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Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
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Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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