Iowa Western Community College
Published tuition$6,780 - $18,102
Online programsYes
Best Online Nursing Programs in Council Bluffs, IA (2026)
Council Bluffs, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering nursing 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $271,680 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Nursing Schools to Council Bluffs
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing 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
College of Saint Mary
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa nursing page.
Nursing 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $84,600 | Omaha, NE-IA | $92,057 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $63,540 | Omaha, NE-IA | $69,140 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | $271,680 | Omaha, NE-IA | $295,626 |
| Nurse Midwife | $138,880 | Omaha, NE-IA | $151,121 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $133,760 | Omaha, NE-IA | $145,550 |
| Nursing Assistant | $40,020 | Omaha, NE-IA | $43,547 |
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 |
| Nursing-related employment in Pottawattamie County | 2,862 workers, 48 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Council Bluffs-Area Cities With Nursing 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 nursing schools are near Council Bluffs, IA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing 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 College of Saint Mary (8.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Council Bluffs?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Council Bluffs are: Nurse Anesthetist ($271,680), Nurse Midwife ($138,880), Nurse Practitioner ($133,760). 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 nursing 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 nursing?
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 Nursing Programs
- Nursing accreditation: what to look for
- Nursing concentrations and specializations
- Is a Nursing degree worth it?
- Main Nursing degree guide
- Online Nursing programs in Iowa
- Nursing programs by state
Other Programs Available in Council Bluffs
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Council Bluffs:
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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.