Best Online Healthcare Administration Programs in Ames, IA (2026)

Ames, Iowa has 4 accredited schools offering healthcare administration programs, with tuition ranging from $4,872 to $14,774 per year for indexed programs. Ames has a population of about 66,112. Median household income is $60,102 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 63.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Ames, IA metro area, the top-earning healthcare administration-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $103,730 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Healthcare Administration Schools to Ames

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

#1

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 22.0 miles from Ames BOC Score 50.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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

#2

Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, IA 71.8 miles from Ames BOC Score 54.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,849
Avg net price $9,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

North Iowa Area Community College

Mason City, IA 82.5 miles from Ames BOC Score 57.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,462
Avg net price $10,010/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,653
Out‑of‑state$9,551
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Indian Hills Community College

Ottumwa, IA 93.2 miles from Ames BOC Score 56.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,507
Avg net price $10,693/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA 101.5 miles from Ames BOC Score 56.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,016
Avg net price $9,705/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 108.8 miles from Ames 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 Lakes Community College

Estherville, IA 113.1 miles from Ames BOC Score 59.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,108
Avg net price $13,933/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northeast Iowa Community College

Calmar, IA 119.2 miles from Ames BOC Score 56.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,306
Avg net price $11,272/yr
Tuition
In‑state$6,780
Out‑of‑state$7,770
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Healthcare Administration Wages Near Ames

Ames is part of the Ames, IA metro area (BLS area code 11180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical and Health Services Manager$103,730Ames, IA$116,813
Health Information Technologist and Medical Registrar$80,600IA statewide$90,766
Administrative Services Manager$103,440Ames, IA$116,486
Compliance Officer$80,370Ames, IA$90,507
Medical Records Specialist$49,850Ames, IA$56,137
Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant$40,210Ames, IA$45,282

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.


Ames at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population66,112Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,102Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+63.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)88.8 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Healthcare Administration-related employment in Story County4,501 workers, 285 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ames-Area Cities With Healthcare Administration Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited healthcare administration schools are near Ames, IA?

Accredited schools offering healthcare administration programs near Ames 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 healthcare administration roles near Ames?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying healthcare administration-related roles near Ames are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($103,730), Administrative Services Manager ($103,440), Health Information Technologist and Medical Registrar ($80,600). 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 Ankeny instead of Ames?

Ankeny, IA is 20.6 miles from Ames and has its own set of local healthcare administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ames an affordable place to study healthcare administration?

Ames’s median household income of $60,102 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ames 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 Healthcare Administration Programs

Other Programs Available in Ames

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

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.