Iowa Western Community College
Published tuition$6,780 - $18,102
Online programsYes
Best Online Healthcare Programs in Council Bluffs, IA (2026)
Council Bluffs, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare programs, with tuition ranging from $6,780 to $18,102 per year for indexed programs. Council Bluffs has a population of about 62,564. Median household income is $64,092 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Omaha, NE-IA metro area, the top-earning healthcare-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $107,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Healthcare Schools to Council Bluffs
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer healthcare programs near Council Bluffs. Distances are calculated from Council Bluffs 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 Council Bluffs. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Metropolitan Community College Area
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Creighton University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Clarkson College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa healthcare page.
Healthcare Wages Near Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs is part of the Omaha, NE-IA metro area (BLS area code 36540). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $107,810 | Omaha, NE-IA | $117,312 |
| Health Information Technologist or Medical Registrar | $61,630 | Omaha, NE-IA | $67,062 |
| Medical Records Specialist | $56,830 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,839 |
| Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant | $46,340 | Omaha, NE-IA | $50,424 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $63,360 | Omaha, NE-IA | $68,945 |
| Epidemiologist | $79,880 | IA statewide | $86,921 |
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.
Council Bluffs at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,564 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $64,092 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 21.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Healthcare-related employment in Pottawattamie County | 5,581 workers, 343 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Council Bluffs-Area Cities With Healthcare Programs
- Bellevue, NE – 7.2 mi away (53,505 pop)
- Omaha, NE – 10.2 mi away (792,463 pop)
- Fremont, NE – 35.9 mi away (27,598 pop)
- Lincoln, NE – 52.3 mi away (280,741 pop)
- Columbus, NE – 79.2 mi away (22,846 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited healthcare schools are near Council Bluffs, IA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare programs near Council Bluffs. The closest is Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA (4.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Nebraska Medical Center (6.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying healthcare roles near Council Bluffs?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying healthcare-related roles near Council Bluffs are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($107,810), Epidemiologist ($79,880), Healthcare Social Worker ($63,360). 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 Bellevue instead of Council Bluffs?
Bellevue, NE is 7.2 miles from Council Bluffs and has its own set of local healthcare programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Council Bluffs an affordable place to study healthcare?
Council Bluffs’s median household income of $64,092 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Council Bluffs 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 Programs
- Healthcare accreditation: what to look for
- Healthcare concentrations and specializations
- Is a Healthcare degree worth it?
- Main Healthcare degree guide
- Online Healthcare programs in Iowa
- Healthcare programs by state
Other Programs Available in Council Bluffs
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Council Bluffs:
- Criminal Justice programs in Council Bluffs, IA
- Nursing programs in Council Bluffs, IA
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- Liberal Arts programs in Council Bluffs, IA
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- Accounting programs in Council Bluffs, IA
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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.