Best Cybersecurity Schools Near Waterloo, IA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Waterloo, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs, with tuition ranging from $6,653 to $39,675 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 cybersecurity-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $132,210 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Cybersecurity Schools to Waterloo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer cybersecurity programs near Waterloo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterloo city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 73.7 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Emmaus Bible College

Dubuque, IA 83.9 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,631
Avg net price $13,186/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Waldorf University

Forest City, IA 84.3 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
36.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,165
Avg net price $19,693/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,978
Out‑of‑state$25,978
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 48%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 84.3 miles from Waterloo
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,018
Avg net price $11,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 112.2 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Iowa Western Community College

Council Bluffs, IA 196.3 miles from Waterloo
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,793
Avg net price $14,629/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa cybersecurity page.

Cybersecurity 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)
Information Security Analyst $106,350 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $122,101
Network and Computer Systems Administrator $82,260 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $94,443
Computer Network Architect $103,050 IA statewide $118,312
Computer Systems Analyst $80,140 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $92,009
Computer and Information Systems Manager $132,210 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $151,791
Computer Network Support Specialist $59,410 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $68,209
Computer User Support Specialist $59,630 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $68,462

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
Cybersecurity-related employment in Black Hawk County 643 workers, 121 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Cybersecurity Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited cybersecurity schools are near Waterloo, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs near Waterloo. The closest is North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, IA (60.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Des Moines Area Community College (84.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying cybersecurity roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying cybersecurity-related roles near Waterloo are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($132,210), Information Security Analyst ($106,350), Computer Network Architect ($103,050). 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 cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity?

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 Cybersecurity Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterloo

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterloo:

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Cybersecurity Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)