Best Online Nursing Programs in Marion, IA (2026)

Marion, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $5,980 to $32,927 per year for indexed 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.

#1

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA 9.6 miles from Marion 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

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 28.6 miles from Marion 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

#3

Allen College

Waterloo, IA 51.1 miles from Marion BOC Score 93.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,261
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Clarke University

Dubuque, IA 55.9 miles from Marion BOC Score 46.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Eastern Iowa Community College District

Davenport, IA 63.2 miles from Marion BOC Score 47.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $14,017/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Marshalltown Community College

Marshalltown, IA 68.2 miles from Marion BOC Score 59.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,010
Avg net price $8,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Northeast Iowa Community College

Calmar, IA 78.4 miles from Marion 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

#8

Indian Hills Community College

Ottumwa, IA 80.7 miles from Marion 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

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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$78,370Cedar Rapids, IA$88,056
Licensed Practical Nurse$61,840Cedar Rapids, IA$69,483
Nurse Anesthetist$273,070IA statewide$306,820
Nurse Midwife$131,360IA statewide$147,596
Nurse Practitioner$129,890Cedar Rapids, IA$145,944
Nursing Assistant$39,110Cedar 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

MetricValueSource
Population41,690Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$87,105Census 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 County3,964 workers, 111 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Marion-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Marion, IA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Marion 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 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: 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.