Best Physics Schools Near Clinton, IA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Clinton, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $57,903 to $68,134 per year for indexed programs. Clinton has a population of about 24,425. Median household income is $57,493 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $178,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Clinton

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Clinton, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Clinton 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 Clinton. 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

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 68.0 miles from Clinton
  • 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

#2

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA 73.6 miles from Clinton
  • 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 Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 122.7 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 116

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA 128.0 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
72.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 88%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,830
Avg net price $17,648/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Luther College

Decorah, IA 128.9 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,850
Avg net price $23,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 129.9 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,201
Avg net price $32,908/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Central College

Pella, IA 141.8 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
49.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,317
Avg net price $23,377/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 175.6 miles from Clinton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 169

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Physics Wages Near Clinton

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Physicists $178,110
Biochemists and Biophysicists $101,090
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $104,270
Mathematicians N/A
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $76,850
Engineers, All Other $103,090
Software Developers $114,890
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,200

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.

Clinton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,425 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $57,493 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Clinton-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Clinton, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Clinton. The closest is Eastern Iowa Community College District in Davenport, IA (28.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Iowa (68.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles in Iowa are: Physicists ($178,110), Software Developers ($114,890), Physics Teachers, Postsecondary ($104,270). Wages for Clinton workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Bettendorf instead of Clinton?

Bettendorf, IA is 22.7 miles from Clinton and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Clinton an affordable place to study physics?

Clinton’s median household income of $57,493 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clinton 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 Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Clinton

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

Data verified: September 5, 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 Physics Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)