Iowa Community Colleges Tuition and Fees, Fiscal Year 2026
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| Title: | Iowa Community Colleges Tuition and Fees, Fiscal Year 2026 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Iowa Department of Education |
| Source: | Iowa Department of Education. 2026. |
| Availability: | Iowa Department of Education. Grimes State Office Building, 400 East 14th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146. Tel: 515-281-5294; Fax: 515-242-5988; Web site: http://educateiowa.gov |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Evaluative Numerical/Quantitative Data |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Two Year Colleges |
| Descriptors: | Community Colleges, Tuition, Fees, Operating Expenses, Income, In State Students, Educational Finance, Out of State Students |
| Geographic Terms: | Iowa |
| Abstract: | The annual Iowa Community College Tuition and Fees Report provides information about tuition and fees charged at each of Iowa's 15 community colleges. This report also provides trends in tuition and fees among Iowa's community colleges, sources of general operating revenue and comparisons among states and institutions. For fiscal year (FY) 2026, average in-state tuition for students attending Iowa's community colleges is $211.15 per credit hour, a 2.9 percent increase from FY25. Average mandatory fees are $16.97 per credit hour, an increase of 16 percent from last year. The average total in-state cost of enrollment (tuition plus fees) is $228.12 per credit hour, which represents a 3.9 percent increase from FY25. Tuition and fees accounted for approximately 48.6 percent of community colleges' unrestricted operating revenue during FY24, the latest year for which data is available. The percentage of tuition and fees included in the unrestricted operating revenue peaked in FY19, when it accounted for 51.3 percent of such revenue, and had gradually decreased since increasing again in FY24. Nationally, provisional data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) shows Iowa's in-state cost of enrollment in FY23 (the latest year available) ranked in the 89th percentile. This indicates Iowa's average cost of enrollment was greater than or equal to 89 percent of community colleges in the nation. Regionally, Iowa had the second highest average cost of in-state enrollment ($6,228), following South Dakota ($7,547). IPEDS data also shows the average total in-state enrollment cost at Iowa's community colleges was 11.6 percent higher than the regional average ($5,503.43) during FY24. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679068 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The annual Iowa Community College Tuition and Fees Report provides information about tuition and fees charged at each of Iowa's 15 community colleges. This report also provides trends in tuition and fees among Iowa's community colleges, sources of general operating revenue and comparisons among states and institutions. For fiscal year (FY) 2026, average in-state tuition for students attending Iowa's community colleges is $211.15 per credit hour, a 2.9 percent increase from FY25. Average mandatory fees are $16.97 per credit hour, an increase of 16 percent from last year. The average total in-state cost of enrollment (tuition plus fees) is $228.12 per credit hour, which represents a 3.9 percent increase from FY25. Tuition and fees accounted for approximately 48.6 percent of community colleges' unrestricted operating revenue during FY24, the latest year for which data is available. The percentage of tuition and fees included in the unrestricted operating revenue peaked in FY19, when it accounted for 51.3 percent of such revenue, and had gradually decreased since increasing again in FY24. Nationally, provisional data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) shows Iowa's in-state cost of enrollment in FY23 (the latest year available) ranked in the 89th percentile. This indicates Iowa's average cost of enrollment was greater than or equal to 89 percent of community colleges in the nation. Regionally, Iowa had the second highest average cost of in-state enrollment ($6,228), following South Dakota ($7,547). IPEDS data also shows the average total in-state enrollment cost at Iowa's community colleges was 11.6 percent higher than the regional average ($5,503.43) during FY24. |
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