Last Updated: October 10, 2026
Iowa residents can compare six accelerated BSN options: four Iowa-based programs lasting 12 months and two out-of-state programs offering online coursework over 16 months. Every route requires in-person clinical learning; campus visits, prerequisite preparation and start dates differ.
Reviewed tuition figures for five programs range from $34,720 to $50,000, before required fees, prerequisite coursework and living costs. Rockhurst separately lists a $47,100 fee-inclusive package, so its figure is not a tuition-only comparison. Most calculated totals use current rates across the full sequence and may rise when later terms enter a new rate year.
Iowa ABSN Programs at a Glance
| School | Est. Tuition | Duration | GPA | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Luke’s College Sioux City, IA | $34,720 | 12 months / 3 semesters | 2.80 cumulative | January |
Allen College Waterloo, IA | $39,366 | 12 months / 3 semesters | 2.8 cumulative; 3.0 core | Summer / Fall |
Drake University Des Moines, IA | $40,800 | 12 months / 3 semesters | No minimum; 3.0 competitive | Fall |
Mercy Health Sciences University Des Moines + regional Iowa cohorts | $44,430 | 12 months / 3 semesters | 3.0 prerequisite | Fall / Spring / Summer in Des Moines |
Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO; Iowa residents eligible | $47,100 including fees | 16 months / 4 semesters | 2.7 cumulative + prerequisite | Three per year |
Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL; Iowa residents eligible | $50,000 | 16 months / 4 semesters | 3.0 cumulative; 2.8 science | Fall / Spring |
Mercy’s estimate includes the required 3-credit Servant Leadership course in addition to its 52 nursing credits. Regional Mercy cohorts have limited start dates. The detailed cost comparison below separates tuition from published fees and explains each calculation.
How to Compare Iowa ABSN Programs
- Campus learning in 12 months: Allen College, Drake University and St. Luke’s College teach in Waterloo, Des Moines and Sioux City respectively.
- Regional Iowa access: Mercy Health Sciences University offers in-person Des Moines instruction and regional cohorts combining online lectures with local skills and clinical learning.
- Online coursework: Elmhurst University and Rockhurst University accept Iowa residents, arrange in-person clinical placements and require travel to Illinois or Missouri residencies.
- Without a previous bachelor’s degree: Allen, Drake, Mercy and St. Luke’s have qualifying prior-credit routes; Elmhurst and Rockhurst require a bachelor’s degree.
- Application timing: Compare rolling review, fixed deadlines and the actual start calendar before choosing a target cohort.
Program Format and Attendance
Campus routes: Allen College spans three consecutive semesters in Waterloo. Drake University follows fall, spring and summer in Des Moines. St. Luke’s College begins in January on the UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Hospital campus in Sioux City, with regional clinical rotations and a Clinical Simulation Center.
Mercy’s locations: Mercy Health Sciences University, formerly Mercy College of Health Sciences, offers Des Moines campus instruction and regional cohorts in Dubuque, Storm Lake, Iowa City and the Cedar Rapids area. Regional lectures are online, while skills labs and clinical learning remain in person.
Out-of-state attendance: Elmhurst University requires two Illinois residencies; its brochure describes one five-day and one two-day visit. Rockhurst University requires a 10-day Kansas City residency in the first semester, followed by assigned clinical rotations near students’ communities. Neither option can be completed entirely from home.
Travel and scheduling: Budget for clinical commuting as well as campus visits. Placement coordination does not eliminate travel, health clearance, fixed clinical shifts or the demands of a full-time accelerated curriculum.
Admissions and Prerequisite Differences
Compare the GPA definition, not just the number. A cumulative GPA, a designated core or prerequisite GPA and a competitive recommendation measure different things; meeting a minimum does not guarantee admission.
| School | Minimum GPA | Key Admission Detail |
|---|---|---|
2.80 cumulative | 64 prerequisite credits; high school/GED route and ACT requirement described in the profile | |
2.8 cumulative + 3.0 core | 70 general education credits; prior bachelor’s applicants complete the starred checklist requirements | |
No required minimum; 3.0 competitive | At least 70 undergraduate credits; no entrance examination; apply through NursingCAS | |
3.0 extracted prerequisite GPA | At least 65 prior credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s; C, not C−, in each specified prerequisite | |
2.7 cumulative + prerequisite | Prior non-nursing bachelor’s; residence in Iowa, Kansas or Missouri; C or better in prerequisites | |
3.0 cumulative + 2.8 science | Prior bachelor’s; 25 prerequisite credits with C or better in every course |
Prior-credit routes: Drake University lists 33 minimum credits in defined prerequisite areas and 37 elective credits for students completing developmental psychology, within its 70-credit entry minimum. St. Luke’s College requires 64 prior credits including humanities, ethics and sociology. Obtain a transfer evaluation rather than assuming a previous degree satisfies every course.
Mercy’s Core Curriculum: A bachelor’s, Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree meets Core requirements except SVL 285 Servant Leadership. Nursing prerequisites still apply, and the 3-credit Servant Leadership course remains a graduation requirement. Mercy’s catalog permits General Psychology or Developmental Psychology for its specified psychology prerequisite.
Science and preparation: Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology appear across the reviewed checklists. Chemistry is listed by Allen, Drake, Elmhurst and Rockhurst; Nutrition by Allen, Drake, Mercy, Rockhurst and St. Luke’s. Statistics is listed by all except St. Luke’s, whose 64-credit plan does not specify a standalone Statistics course.
Additional requirements: Allen requires CNA or HSP certification, or NU 250 Clinical Skills I, before entry; current LPNs may qualify for a competency-exam exemption. Rockhurst requires two of its four sciences before application review, limits science repeats and describes ATI TEAS evaluation for sciences older than seven years. The linked profiles provide the complete course, grade and application-material checklists.
Start Dates and Application Deadlines
| School | Start | Application Deadline / Review |
|---|---|---|
January / Spring | Continual review on a space-available basis | |
Summer / Fall | Rolling; decisions generally 3–4 weeks after a complete application file | |
Fall | Rolling NursingCAS review until the class is full and a sufficient waitlist is established | |
Fall / Spring / Summer in Des Moines | April 1 for fall; August 1 for spring; January 1 for summer; regional dates are limited | |
Three annually | Confirm the cohort-specific deadline with the program | |
Fall / Spring | Rolling within each cycle; the published Spring 2027 start is February 1 |
A start date is not an application deadline. Allow time for transcripts, transfer review, nursing-program materials and clinical clearance. For Mercy, all required materials must arrive by the applicable deadline; an available Des Moines start does not establish availability at every regional site.
Tuition and Costs
The estimates use the reviewed credit plans and published rates before financial aid. Allen, Drake and Mercy use 2026–27 rates; St. Luke’s publishes a spring–summer–fall 2027 cohort budget. Future rates, extra coursework and individual billing can increase actual charges.
| School | Tuition Basis | Required Fees and Other Charges |
|---|---|---|
$34,720: 56 credits × $620 | $4,813 in published 2027 cohort fees; $39,533 combined tuition and fees | |
$39,366: 54 nursing credits × $729 | Published budget: $5,820 fees plus $132 federal loan fees; $45,318 estimated direct costs | |
$40,800: 51 nursing credits × $800 | Activity, wellness, materials and summer technology charges are additional; confirm ABSN assessments | |
$44,430: 52 NUA credits × $810 + 3 SVL credits × $770 | Material fee $1,378 charged twice ($2,756); graduation $110 and application $25 separate | |
$47,100: 60 credits × $785, labeled fee-inclusive | Schedule also lists technology and graduation charges; obtain an itemized bill before adding them to the package | |
$50,000 published tuition for 60 credits | $849 NCLEX preparation separate; $50,849 for those two charges before other expenses |
Credit and billing differences: Mercy’s figure includes its required Servant Leadership course; nursing-major tuition alone is $42,120. Allen’s budget bills three 18-credit terms even though the curriculum allocates 16, 19 and 19 credits, so individual fees can differ. Rockhurst’s package cannot be treated as an isolated tuition-only total.
Materials and preparation: Drake’s schedule lists $130 activity and $175 wellness fees per full-time semester, $267 Course Ready materials per full-time semester and an $80 summer technology fee; it does not establish a complete ABSN fee total. St. Luke’s cohort fee budget already includes its listed educational fees, so do not add the catalog’s ATI charge again.
Other costs and aid: Prerequisite tuition, books, uniforms, screening, insurance, travel, lodging and living expenses generally sit outside these figures. Rockhurst’s Hybrid ABSN is ineligible for internal scholarships, institutional aid and Saint Luke’s employee discounts. Drake’s 3+1 students have different scholarship and billing arrangements; see each profile for the applicable aid and cost details.
Clinical Training
| School | Published Training Measure | Clinical Structure |
|---|---|---|
56 nursing-program credits; no total clinical-hour figure used here | Hospital-based Sioux City education, regional rotations and a final RN-paired Nursing Practicum | |
540 combined clinical/simulation hours | Clinical learning begins in the first semester; final 225-hour RN-precepted internship | |
Approximately 600 combined clinical, lab and simulation hours | Three Care Management Practicums totaling 15 credits; final preceptor experience; Broadlawns is the primary partner | |
135 clinical hours in the final Nursing Preceptorship | Clinical learning throughout foundations, adult care and specialty courses; local partners for regional cohorts | |
583.5 clinical hours | Dedicated site/preceptor coordinator; first-semester Kansas City residency and subsequent regional rotations | |
450+ clinical hours | University-arranged sites and preceptors as close as possible to students’ communities, plus two Illinois residencies |
Compare like measures: Allen and Drake report combined training hours, while other figures refer to clinical hours or a final course only. Mercy’s 135-hour preceptorship is not its whole-program clinical total, and academic credits cannot be converted to clinical hours without the program’s applicable formula.
Placement support: Elmhurst provides placement coordination at no extra service fee; Rockhurst uses a dedicated coordinator to arrange sites and preceptors within reasonable driving distance. Students still attend assigned rotations. Rockhurst shifts may include days, evenings or weekends; Mercy’s regional model combines online lectures with in-person learning at local healthcare partners.
Accreditation and NCLEX Outcomes
Outcome figures below identify the reporting year and population where available. School-level BSN results include students outside the accelerated route and should not be used to rank these ABSNs against one another.
| School | Reported NCLEX-RN Result | Population / Qualification |
|---|---|---|
100% first-time, CY2025 | 4 ABSN candidates; small cohort | |
92.11% first-time, CY2025 | 94 BSN candidates; school-level, not ABSN-only | |
72.22% first-time, CY2025 | 18 ABSN candidates; inaugural graduating class | |
88.10% first-time, CY2025 | 210 BSN candidates; school-level, not ABSN-only | |
93% advertised ABSN pass rate | Program page does not identify the reporting year or attempt measure | |
86%, 2023 online ABSN | Published program outcome; attempt measure unspecified |
Drake’s status: The ACEN directory continues to list Drake as a candidate for initial accreditation, effective May 14, 2025 through May 14, 2027. Candidacy is not accreditation; the listed October 6–8, 2026 initial site visit does not itself establish an accreditation decision. Drake is Iowa Board of Nursing-approved.
Other nursing accreditation: Allen, Mercy, St. Luke’s, Elmhurst and Rockhurst have CCNE-accredited baccalaureate nursing programs. Check each profile and the applicable directory for current program status and the intended state’s licensure requirements.
St. Luke’s transition: Morningside acquired St. Luke’s after HLC approval in November 2025, and St. Luke’s became an operating division on January 1, 2026. Morningside’s January 16 announcement said final federal merger approval was pending at that time, with separate degree authorization, accreditation and federal aid participation during the interim.
Completion and employment: Mercy reports 91.8% completion within 150% of the expected time for its August 2024 ABSN cohort and 100% employment among 2024 graduate-survey respondents. Drake reports 90% on-time completion in its 2025 outcomes (18 of 20 students) and 100% employment among its 15 licensed graduates. St. Luke’s reports 60% on-time completion for its ten-student 2024 entry cohort and 100% employment among six graduates seeking work. These measures use different populations and time windows.
Historical context: Allen’s 2022 first-time BSN result was 98.29%; Rockhurst reported more than 97% among May 2023 BSN graduates, not identified as ABSN-only. Current Iowa calendar-year figures come from the state’s 2025 first-time NCLEX report; the linked profiles explain the university-reported outcomes and cohort definitions.
Iowa ABSN Program Summaries
Allen College ABSN Program
Waterloo | $39,366 | 12 Months
Allen College’s campus-based ABSN in Waterloo spans 12 months and 54 nursing credits, with summer and fall entry. The accelerated track includes 540 combined clinical/simulation hours and a final 225-hour RN-precepted internship. Published 2026–27 tuition is $39,366; fees are additional. Allen’s school-level BSN first-time NCLEX-RN rate was 92.11% in 2025... read more.
Drake University ABSN Program
Des Moines | $40,800 | 12 Months
Drake University’s campus-based ABSN in Des Moines spans 12 months and 51 nursing credits, with fall entry and rolling NursingCAS review. No entrance exam or minimum GPA is required; 3.0 is competitive. The program includes approximately 600 combined clinical, lab and simulation hours. Tuition is estimated at $40,800 using 2026–27 rates; fees are additional. ACEN currently lists the program as a candidate for initial accreditation... read more.
Elmhurst University ABSN Program
Online but must reside in Iowa. | $50,000 | 16 Months
Elmhurst’s 16-month ABSN delivers coursework online for residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. Students complete 60 semester hours, university-arranged in-person clinical placements and two campus residencies. Published tuition is $50,000, with $849 NCLEX preparation and other expenses separate.
Mercy College ABSN Program
Des Moines | $44,430 | 12 Months
Mercy Health Sciences University (formerly Mercy College) offers a 12-month ABSN with six course modules, 52 nursing credits and a required 3-credit Servant Leadership course. Des Moines has three annual starts; regional Iowa cohorts combine online lectures with in-person labs and clinicals and have limited start dates. Estimated 2026–27 tuition is $44,430 for the 55 required credits, before fees. Mercy’s school-level BSN first-time NCLEX-RN rate was 88.10% in 2025... read more.
Rockhurst University ABSN Program
Kansas City | $47,100 incl. fees | 16 Months
Rockhurst’s 16-month Hybrid ABSN accepts Iowa, Kansas and Missouri residents with a prior non-nursing bachelor’s degree and 2.7 cumulative and prerequisite GPAs. It combines 60 credits of online coursework, 583.5 clinical hours and a 10-day Kansas City residency, with coordinated in-person placements. The current fee-inclusive rate totals $47,100 across 60 credits. Rockhurst advertises 93% ABSN NCLEX passage without a reporting year or attempt measure.
St. Luke’s College ABSN Program
Sioux City | $34,720 | 12 Months
St. Luke’s College offers a January-start, 12-month ABSN on the UnityPoint Health hospital campus in Sioux City, with 56 nursing credits, regional rotations and a final RN-paired practicum. Its published 2027 budget lists $34,720 tuition and $4,813 in fees. Iowa reports 100% first-time NCLEX-RN passage among four St. Luke’s ABSN candidates in 2025. St. Luke’s became a Morningside operating division in January 2026... read more.