Best Online Education Programs in Waterloo, IA (2026)

Waterloo, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering education 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 education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $103,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Education Schools to Waterloo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education 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

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 5.9 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 36.9 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
42.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,766
Avg net price $20,942/yr
Tuition
In‑state$19,475
Out‑of‑state$19,475
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 49.1 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
59.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

William Penn University

Oskaloosa, IA 83.1 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
33.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,936
Avg net price $22,601/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 112.2 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • 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: 18

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 145.8 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,156
Avg net price $18,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Northwestern College

Orange City, IA 191.1 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
53.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 80%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,802
Avg net price $25,907/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,710
Out‑of‑state$36,710
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 7

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Dordt University

Sioux Center, IA 197.9 miles from Waterloo
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
62.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,559
Avg net price $25,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Education 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Secondary School Teacher$60,440Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$69,392
Elementary School Teacher$60,780Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$69,782
Middle School Teacher$60,460Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$69,414
Education Teacher, Postsecondary$62,090IA statewide$71,286
Education Administrator, K-12$103,180Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$118,462
Education Administrator, Postsecondary$85,060Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$97,658
Tutor$32,940Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$37,819
Educational and Career Counselor$53,220Waterloo-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.


Waterloo at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population66,947Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,344Census 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
Education-related employment in Black Hawk County720 workers, 55 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near Waterloo, IA?

Accredited schools offering education programs near Waterloo are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying education roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Waterloo 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 Cedar Falls instead of Waterloo?

Cedar Falls, IA is 5.5 miles from Waterloo 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 Waterloo an affordable place to study education?

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 Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterloo

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.