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Best Trade Programs in Iowa (2026)

Top 100 of 197 programs in Iowa · Updated 2026

The best trade school programs in Iowa, ranked by overall value. We scored 197 programs across Iowa trade schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $47,772/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in IA

197

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$47,772/yr

Avg TSW Score

70/100

#1 Program

Ground Transportation

Northwest Iowa Community College

Top Trade Programs in Iowa

Top 100 programs by TSW Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	TSW Score	Earnings	AI-Proof	ROI
1	Ground Transportation Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	79 79–79	$60,943/yr	AI-Proof	41.9x
2	Electrical Installation Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	85 81–86	$78,118/yr	AI-Proof	155.1x
3	Nursing Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	78 73–78	$59,181/yr	Moderate	56.9x
4	Nursing Eastern Iowa Community College District · Davenport, IA	81 76–81	$62,338/yr	Moderate	67.8x
5	Criminal Justice Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	74 71–75	$49,572/yr	Resilient	42.1x
6	Nursing Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	77 73–77	$65,268/yr	Moderate	49.0x
7	International Business University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA	79 74–82	$60,660/yr	Exposed	57.7x
8	Nursing Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	79 74–79	$64,461/yr	Moderate	51.4x
9	Nursing Marshalltown Community College · Marshalltown, IA	80 74–80	$61,954/yr	Moderate	63.0x
10	Nursing Southeastern Community College · West Burlington, IA	77 72–78	$61,159/yr	Moderate	53.5x
11	Nursing Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	80 75–81	$63,214/yr	Moderate	66.1x
12	IT Management Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	79 72–82	$66,093/yr	Exposed	58.5x
13	Vehicle Repair Technology Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	69 68–70	$52,325/yr	AI-Proof	54.2x
14	Nursing Ellsworth Community College · Iowa Falls, IA	78 73–78	$58,487/yr	Moderate	58.6x
15	Practical Nursing Eastern Iowa Community College District · Davenport, IA	79 78–80	$45,662/yr	AI-Proof	103.2x
16	Nursing Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	76 71–76	$58,835/yr	Moderate	49.0x
17	Nursing Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	79 73–79	$56,923/yr	Moderate	63.1x
18	Nursing Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	78 72–78	$56,562/yr	Moderate	59.0x
19	Nursing North Iowa Area Community College · Mason City, IA	77 71–78	$58,096/yr	Moderate	53.3x
20	Nursing Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	83 78–84	$57,546/yr	Moderate	93.9x
21	Criminal Justice Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	74 70–76	$43,547/yr	Resilient	49.9x
22	Computer Science Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	78 70–80	$60,163/yr	Exposed	53.2x
23	Vehicle Repair Technology Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	69 68–69	$50,901/yr	AI-Proof	48.0x
24	Vehicle Repair Technology Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	68 67–68	$49,556/yr	AI-Proof	50.8x
25	Nursing Iowa Lakes Community College · Estherville, IA	75 71–75	$61,157/yr	Moderate	42.2x
26	Vehicle Repair Technology Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	71 71–72	$47,545/yr	AI-Proof	69.1x
27	Nursing Southwestern Community College · Creston, IA	76 72–77	$63,505/yr	Moderate	42.1x
28	Criminal Justice Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	71 66–73	$39,121/yr	Resilient	47.2x
29	Entrepreneurship University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA	77 69–80	$46,878/yr	Moderate	61.3x
30	Precision Metalworking Marshalltown Community College · Marshalltown, IA	69 68–70	$45,972/yr	AI-Proof	85.7x
31	Nursing Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	76 71–76	$62,453/yr	Moderate	39.6x
32	Criminal Justice Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	70 68–72	$42,555/yr	Resilient	39.0x
33	Precision Metalworking Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	68 66–69	$45,509/yr	AI-Proof	87.7x
34	Precision Metalworking Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	61 60–62	$48,114/yr	AI-Proof	45.7x
35	Electrical Installation Marshalltown Community College · Marshalltown, IA	74 72–75	$43,768/yr	AI-Proof	81.5x
36	Electrical Installation Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	75 70–76	$44,198/yr	AI-Proof	87.6x
37	Vehicle Repair Technology Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	72 68–73	$43,536/yr	AI-Proof	85.6x
38	Precision Metalworking Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	66 64–67	$43,588/yr	AI-Proof	83.5x
39	Agricultural Business Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	70 64–73	$40,506/yr	Moderate	49.1x
40	Vehicle Repair Technology Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	64 64–65	$47,762/yr	AI-Proof	39.6x
41	Business Administration University of Iowa · Iowa City, IA	72 63–74	$34,012/yr	Moderate	50.1x
42	Vehicle Repair Technology Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	65 63–65	$44,896/yr	AI-Proof	44.5x
43	Vehicle Repair Technology North Iowa Area Community College · Mason City, IA	65 64–65	$47,882/yr	AI-Proof	40.5x
44	Agricultural Business Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	73 70–76	$40,955/yr	Moderate	61.1x
45	Vehicle Repair Technology Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	65 65–65	$52,174/yr	AI-Proof	35.5x
46	Precision Metalworking Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	67 65–67	$41,613/yr	AI-Proof	81.5x
47	Precision Metalworking Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	66 63–67	$39,397/yr	AI-Proof	94.5x
48	Accounting Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	72 65–74	$47,400/yr	Exposed	48.3x
49	Agricultural Business Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	70 67–72	$47,472/yr	Moderate	36.3x
50	Vehicle Repair Technology Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	64 63–64	$46,852/yr	AI-Proof	38.3x
51	Health Administration Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	72 67–74	$36,716/yr	Moderate	54.6x
52	Health Administration Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	73 68–75	$35,662/yr	Moderate	64.7x
53	Practical Nursing Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	74 67–74	$34,390/yr	AI-Proof	108.0x
54	Health Administration Eastern Iowa Community College District · Davenport, IA	70 65–72	$39,416/yr	Moderate	41.1x
55	Practical Nursing Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	71 64–71	$33,043/yr	AI-Proof	90.1x
56	Horticulture Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	64 62–66	$35,900/yr	Resilient	33.1x
57	IT Management Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	70 60–73	$41,575/yr	Exposed	48.0x
58	Culinary Arts Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	65 59–65	$26,913/yr	AI-Proof	36.7x
59	Medical Assisting Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	70 67–70	$38,511/yr	Resilient	68.4x
60	Vehicle Repair Technology Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	69 65–69	$35,550/yr	AI-Proof	94.9x
61	Vehicle Repair Technology Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	61 59–62	$37,520/yr	AI-Proof	45.3x
62	Homeland Security Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	74 71–75	$54,209/yr	Resilient	96.7x
63	Allied Health Professions Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	66 63–66	$56,681/yr	Resilient	50.1x
64	Business Administration Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	68 64–70	$35,852/yr	Moderate	31.8x
65	Health Administration Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	69 63–71	$32,126/yr	Moderate	54.3x
66	Dental Assisting Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	66 64–67	$57,921/yr	Resilient	58.4x
67	Electrical Repair Technology Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	65 61–65	$53,083/yr	AI-Proof	59.2x
68	Dental Assisting Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	66 64–66	$59,746/yr	Resilient	54.7x
69	Business Administration Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	69 65–71	$37,385/yr	Moderate	30.8x
70	Nursing Mercy College of Health Sciences · Des Moines, IA	69 63–69	$63,867/yr	Moderate	16.2x
71	Medical Assisting North Iowa Area Community College · Mason City, IA	65 62–66	$44,455/yr	Resilient	37.7x
72	Electrical Installation Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	72 66–72	$35,556/yr	AI-Proof	100.7x
73	Health Administration Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	70 65–72	$31,546/yr	Moderate	52.7x
74	Computer Networking Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	71 58–74	$43,253/yr	Exposed	68.6x
75	Ground Transportation Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	62 57–63	$18,387/yr	AI-Proof	64.2x
76	Allied Health Professions Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	63 61–64	$50,501/yr	Resilient	49.1x
77	Vehicle Repair Technology Iowa Lakes Community College · Estherville, IA	60 60–61	$34,586/yr	AI-Proof	47.1x
78	HVAC Technology Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	66 66–66	$52,345/yr	AI-Proof	76.2x
79	Dental Assisting Iowa Western Community College · Council Bluffs, IA	65 63–65	$64,917/yr	Resilient	44.7x
80	Agricultural Business Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	66 63–68	$40,835/yr	Moderate	33.1x
81	Allied Health Professions Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	64 61–64	$52,364/yr	Resilient	48.0x
82	Allied Health Professions Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	69 67–70	$51,206/yr	Resilient	76.6x
83	Medical Assisting Southeastern Community College · West Burlington, IA	66 63–67	$36,202/yr	Resilient	58.3x
84	Allied Health Professions Southeastern Community College · West Burlington, IA	66 63–66	$60,712/yr	Resilient	42.3x
85	Business Administration Upper Iowa University · Fayette, IA	67 62–69	$46,039/yr	Moderate	11.1x
86	Practical Nursing Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	70 63–70	$29,348/yr	AI-Proof	105.0x
87	Dental Assisting Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	63 59–63	$49,953/yr	Resilient	51.2x
88	Allied Health Professions Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	68 65–69	$45,688/yr	Resilient	81.3x
89	Carpentry Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	62 60–63	$44,602/yr	Resilient	34.4x
90	Allied Health Professions Hawkeye Community College · Waterloo, IA	64 62–64	$55,987/yr	Resilient	43.4x
91	Computer Programming Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	71 62–75	$63,559/yr	Exposed	72.4x
92	Computer Networking Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	69 58–71	$41,166/yr	Exposed	56.7x
93	Medical Assisting Indian Hills Community College · Ottumwa, IA	63 59–63	$36,313/yr	Resilient	43.3x
94	Medical Assisting Iowa Central Community College · Fort Dodge, IA	66 64–67	$34,317/yr	Resilient	62.8x
95	Agricultural Mechanization Kirkwood Community College · Cedar Rapids, IA	61 59–62	$54,829/yr	Resilient	50.6x
96	Agricultural Mechanization Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	68 66–69	$56,331/yr	Resilient	88.9x
97	Business Administration Northeast Iowa Community College · Calmar, IA	67 63–69	$29,018/yr	Moderate	43.0x
98	Electrical Repair Technology Northwest Iowa Community College · Sheldon, IA	60 54–61	$44,875/yr	AI-Proof	53.1x
99	Medical Assisting Western Iowa Tech Community College · Sioux City, IA	63 60–64	$37,483/yr	Resilient	42.6x
100	Carpentry Des Moines Area Community College · Ankeny, IA	63 61–64	$34,421/yr	Resilient	61.0x

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 trade programs at Iowa schools, drawn from 197 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade program in Iowa?

By TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Ground Transportation at Northwest Iowa Community College ranks #1 in Iowa with a score of 79/100 and graduate earnings of $60,943/yr.

How many trade programs are in Iowa?

Our database includes 197 trade programs across Iowa schools with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.