Best Spanish Schools Near Ames, IA (2026)

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

Ames, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering spanish programs, with tuition ranging from $47,656 to $61,227 per year for indexed programs. Ames has a population of about 66,112. Median household income is $60,102 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 63.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning spanish-related role is Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $79,880 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Spanish Schools to Ames

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

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

Sort:
#1

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 28.1 miles from Ames
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,824
Avg net price $21,774/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 29.4 miles from Ames
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#3

Simpson College

Indianola, IA 45.8 miles from Ames
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
64.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 86%
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,274
Avg net price $21,936/yr
Tuition
In‑state$47,656
Out‑of‑state$47,656
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Grinnell College

Grinnell, IA 50.4 miles from Ames
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#5

Central College

Pella, IA 56.4 miles from Ames
  • 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

#6

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 68.6 miles from Ames
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#7

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 75.9 miles from Ames
  • 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

#8

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 91.3 miles from Ames
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,156
Avg net price $18,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Spanish Wages Near Ames

Ames is part of the Ames, IA metro area (BLS area code 11180). 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)
Interpreters and Translators $48,150 IA statewide $54,223
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary $79,880 IA statewide $89,955
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,450 Ames, IA $71,453
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $63,200 Ames, IA $71,171
Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors $48,010 IA statewide $54,065
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists $60,610 Ames, IA $68,255
Writers and Authors $61,010 IA statewide $68,705
Human Resources Specialists $70,060 Ames, IA $78,896

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.

Ames at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 66,112 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $60,102 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 63.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.8 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Ames-Area Cities With Spanish Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited spanish schools are near Ames, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering spanish programs near Ames. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (28.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central College (56.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying spanish roles near Ames?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying spanish-related roles near Ames are: Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary ($79,880), Human Resources Specialists ($70,060), Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education ($63,450). 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 Ankeny instead of Ames?

Ankeny, IA is 20.6 miles from Ames and has its own set of local spanish programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ames an affordable place to study spanish?

Ames’s median household income of $60,102 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ames 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 Spanish Programs

Other Programs Available in Ames

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

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 Spanish Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)