Best Online Finance Programs in Waterloo, IA (2026)

Waterloo, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering finance programs, with tuition ranging from $6,780 to $34,022 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 finance-related role is Financial Manager at a median $125,690 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Finance Schools to Waterloo

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

#1

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 5.9 miles from Waterloo 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

#2

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 36.9 miles from Waterloo 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

#3

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 49.1 miles from Waterloo BOC Score 59.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, IA 61.5 miles from Waterloo BOC Score 45.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,460
Avg net price $23,634/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 72.6 miles from Waterloo 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

#6

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 73.5 miles from Waterloo 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

#7

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 85.1 miles from Waterloo BOC Score 67.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,289
Avg net price $20,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 88.0 miles from Waterloo BOC Score 51.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,824
Avg net price $21,774/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Finance 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)
Personal Financial Advisor$90,520Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$103,927
Financial and Investment Analyst$80,100Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$91,963
Loan Officer$72,990Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$83,800
Financial Manager$125,690Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$144,305

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

Other Waterloo-Area Cities With Finance Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited finance schools are near Waterloo, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering finance programs near Waterloo. The closest is University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA (5.9 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 finance roles near Waterloo?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying finance-related roles near Waterloo are: Financial Manager ($125,690), Personal Financial Advisor ($90,520), Financial and Investment Analyst ($80,100). 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 finance 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 finance?

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 Finance Programs

Other Programs Available in Waterloo

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

Data verified: July 30, 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.