Best Online Engineering Programs in Burlington, IA (2026)

Burlington, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $14,952 to $27,828 per year for indexed programs. Burlington has a population of about 23,800. Median household income is $55,274 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $147,320 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to Burlington

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Burlington, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Burlington 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 Burlington. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 58.0 miles from Burlington BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Orion Technical College

Davenport, IA 60.6 miles from Burlington BOC Score 64.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,008
Avg net price $26,439/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 60.9 miles from Burlington BOC Score 73.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

William Penn University

Oskaloosa, IA 86.6 miles from Burlington BOC Score 33.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 136.7 miles from Burlington BOC Score 68.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 144.6 miles from Burlington BOC Score 42.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 36

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 155.4 miles from Burlington BOC Score 76.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Waldorf University

Forest City, IA 213.1 miles from Burlington BOC Score 36.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 24

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Engineering Wages Near Burlington

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Civil Engineer$96,430
Electrical Engineer$105,820
Mechanical Engineer$97,700
Chemical Engineer$117,590
Aerospace EngineerN/A
Biomedical Engineer$81,710
Environmental Engineer$94,830
Architectural and Engineering Manager$147,320

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.


Burlington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,800Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$55,274Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Des Moines County68 workers, 20 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Burlington-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Burlington, IA?

Accredited schools offering engineering programs near Burlington 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 engineering roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in Iowa are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($147,320), Chemical Engineer ($117,590), Electrical Engineer ($105,820). Wages for Burlington workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Galesburg instead of Burlington?

Galesburg, IL is 40.3 miles from Burlington and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Burlington an affordable place to study engineering?

Burlington’s median household income of $55,274 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Burlington 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 Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Burlington

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

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.