Best Nursing Schools Near Marion, IA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Marion, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs. Marion has a population of about 41,690. Median household income is $87,105 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 39.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $273,070 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Nursing Schools to Marion

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 4.5 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.9 BOC Score
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: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 5.4 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
52.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,125
Avg net price $18,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 26.5 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.5 BOC Score
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: 199

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Allen College

Waterloo, IA 51.1 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,261
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, IA 55.3 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,190
Avg net price $23,386/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Clarke University

Dubuque, IA 55.9 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,396
Avg net price $24,479/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Upper Iowa University

Fayette, IA 55.9 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
42.5 BOC Score
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: 55

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 62.4 miles from Marion
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
62.5 BOC Score
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: 59

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Nursing Wages Near Marion

Marion is part of the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area (BLS area code 16300). 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 $78,370 Cedar Rapids, IA $88,056
Licensed Practical Nurse $61,840 Cedar Rapids, IA $69,483
Nurse Anesthetist $273,070 IA statewide $306,820
Nurse Midwife $131,360 IA statewide $147,596
Nurse Practitioner $129,890 Cedar Rapids, IA $145,944
Nursing Assistant $39,110 Cedar Rapids, IA $43,944

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.

Marion at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 41,690 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $87,105 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 39.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 89.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Nursing-related employment in Linn County 3,964 workers, 111 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Marion-Area Cities With Nursing Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Marion, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Marion. The closest is Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, IA (4.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hawkeye Community College (46.5 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Marion?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Marion are: Nurse Anesthetist ($273,070), Nurse Midwife ($131,360), Nurse Practitioner ($129,890). 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 Rapids instead of Marion?

Cedar Rapids, IA is 7.2 miles from Marion 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 Marion an affordable place to study nursing?

Marion’s median household income of $87,105 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Marion 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

Other Programs Available in Marion

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Nursing Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)