University of Northern Iowa
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Education Programs in Cedar Falls, IA (2026)
Cedar Falls, Iowa has 4 accredited schools offering education programs. Cedar Falls has a population of about 40,662. Median household income is $74,165 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $103,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to Cedar Falls
The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer education programs near Cedar Falls. Distances are calculated from Cedar Falls 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 Cedar Falls. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Upper Iowa University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Mount Mercy University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
William Penn University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa education page.
Education Wages Near Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $60,440 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $69,392 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $60,780 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $69,782 |
| Middle School Teacher | $60,460 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $69,414 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $62,090 | IA statewide | $71,286 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $103,180 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $118,462 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $85,060 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $97,658 |
| Tutor | $32,940 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $37,819 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $53,220 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $61,102 |
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.
Cedar Falls at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,662 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $74,165 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 49.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 87.1 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Black Hawk County | 720 workers, 55 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Cedar Falls-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Waterloo, IA – 5.5 mi away (112,635 pop)
- Marshalltown, IA – 40.8 mi away (26,640 pop)
- Cedar Rapids, IA – 55.1 mi away (184,610 pop)
- Marion, IA – 55.2 mi away (38,480 pop)
- Mason City, IA – 57.6 mi away (26,487 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near Cedar Falls, IA?
Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering education programs near Cedar Falls. The closest is University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA (0.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is William Penn University (84.2 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near Cedar Falls?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Cedar Falls are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($103,180), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($85,060), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($62,090). 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 Waterloo instead of Cedar Falls?
Waterloo, IA is 5.5 miles from Cedar Falls and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Cedar Falls an affordable place to study education?
Cedar Falls’s median household income of $74,165 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cedar Falls 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 Education Programs
- Education accreditation: what to look for
- Education concentrations and specializations
- Is a Education degree worth it?
- Main Education degree guide
- Online Education programs in Iowa
- Education programs by state
Other Programs Available in Cedar Falls
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Cedar Falls:
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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.