Best Space Studies Schools Near Cedar Rapids, IA (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Cedar Rapids, Iowa has 1 accredited school offering space studies programs. Cedar Rapids has a population of about 136,859. Median household income is $67,859 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning space studies-related role is Physicists at a median $178,110 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Cedar Rapids

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer space studies programs near Cedar Rapids, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids. 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 22.3 miles from Cedar Rapids
  • 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

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 101.3 miles from Cedar Rapids
  • 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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#3

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 104.8 miles from Cedar Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,901
Avg net price $29,127/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Space Studies Wages Near Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids 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)
Astronomers N/A IA statewide –
Physicists $178,110 IA statewide $200,124
Aerospace Engineers N/A IA statewide –
Natural Sciences Managers $101,530 Cedar Rapids, IA $114,079
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $76,850 IA statewide $86,348
Engineers, All Other $111,080 Cedar Rapids, IA $124,809
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $97,660 IA statewide $109,730
Physical Scientists, All Other $80,810 IA statewide $90,798

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.

Cedar Rapids at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 136,859 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $67,859 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 89.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Cedar Rapids-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited space studies schools are near Cedar Rapids, IA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering space studies programs near Cedar Rapids. The closest is University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA (22.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Iowa (22.3 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near Cedar Rapids?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near Cedar Rapids are: Physicists ($178,110), Engineers, All Other ($111,080), Natural Sciences Managers ($101,530). 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 Marion instead of Cedar Rapids?

Marion, IA is 7.2 miles from Cedar Rapids and has its own set of local space studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Cedar Rapids an affordable place to study space studies?

Cedar Rapids’s median household income of $67,859 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cedar Rapids 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 Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Cedar Rapids

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

Data verified: September 7, 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 Space Studies Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)