Accounting in Iowa

Accountants in Iowa earn competitive wages and benefit from a low cost of living. Iowa’s economy reflects its smaller size, but the state is home to Des Moines, a regional financial hub that hosts offices for all the Big Four accounting firms.

Studying accounting in Iowa can help you find high-paying jobs in an industry in high demand. Careers for accountants, financial managers, and personal financial advisors are projected to grow from 2022-2032. Earning your certified public accountant (CPA) license can also help you increase your career options in the state.

Explore our guide to learn more about education options, popular careers, and salary levels for accounting jobs in Iowa.

Despite its small population, Iowa is home to many colleges and universities. Major state schools like the University of Iowa and smaller private schools like Drake University offer strong accounting programs that can prepare you for careers in business and finance. In total, Iowa schools enrolled more 200,000 college students in 2024.

As an Iowa student, you can benefit from a variety of scholarships and grants, including the Iowa Tuition Grant. This grant provides up to $7,500 for the 2025-26 school year to students who demonstrate financial need. The grant is renewable for up to four years and also offers an adjusted amount for part-time students.

Studying accounting in Iowa can be a great choice if you intend to work in the state. An accounting program can provide professional contacts and connect you to job opportunities after graduation. Many programs also include internship opportunities, which may turn into full-time employment offers once you graduate.

Accounting careers in Iowa are projected to increase steadily in the future. The U.S. Department of Labor projects 8% growth from 2022-2032, which equates to about 1,230 annual job openings.

Despite its smaller population, Iowa is still home to a proportionally large number of four-year and two-year colleges. Students enroll in distance education courses at a rate slightly lower than the national average. The state also spends marginally less tax revenue on higher education compared to the national average.Iowa residents are slightly less educated than the national average. While the state has a higher-than-average number of associate degree-holders, both bachelor’s and graduate degree rates are slightly below the national average.

If you want to study accounting in Iowa, you should always check that your school is properly accreditated. The accreditation process evaluates schools for both their academic and administrative practices, allowing them to receive federal aid.

Accreditation has two forms: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation evaluates entire colleges and universities, while programmatic accreditation evaluates individual academic programs.

In Iowa, most schools should hold institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Individual accounting programs may hold accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Not all accounting programs hold programmatic accreditation, but those that do may offer an easier path to CPA licensure.

If you’re considering studying accounting in Iowa, the program’s format can be a major factor in your decision. Iowa’s colleges and universities offer accounting programs in all delivery formats, including on campus, online, and hybrid. Iowa students are split evenly across enrollment formats, with about half of all students taking a distance course and half taking only on-campus courses.

Program format can make a big difference in your student experience. In-person programs allow you to interact directly with students and professors, while some online programs allow you to complete a degree without ever leaving your home. Explore the different course delivery formats to find the best fit for you.

Traditional accounting programs require you to attend weekly class sessions on your school’s campus. This format gives you lots of face time with classmates and professors, but you’ll have to live on campus or commute to school. Campus programs are ideal if you have lots of time to dedicate to your studies and want to be part of a learning community.

Online accounting programs give you the same course material in an online format, which lets you avoid visiting campus. Many programs operate asynchronously, meaning classes don’t occur at any specific time of day. An online program gives you lots of flexibility, making it easier to maintain your job while taking classes.

Hybrid programs combine online and campus classes, giving you a mix of both formats. You may only need to visit campus occasionally, completing most of your work online. A hybrid program can be useful if you want the flexibility of online learning and the face-to-face interaction of on-campus classes.

Tuition rates in Iowa are slightly higher than the national average, but you still have many options to finance your accounting degree. Iowa offers a variety of state scholarships and grants to help you pay for school. Filling out the FAFSA gives you more information about your eligibility for financial aid.

Generally, grants, scholarships, and fellowships are the best sources of education funding, since they do not require repayment. If you take out student loans, you’ll have to pay them back after you graduate, along with interest.

Out-of-state students pay significantly higher tuition rates at Iowa public schools. However, Iowa participates in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP), which allows students in neighboring states to pay reduced tuition at participating schools. If you live in a nearby state like Nebraska or Missouri, you may be able to study accounting in Iowa at a reduced tuition rate.

The MSEP also includes states that don’t border Iowa, such as Indiana, Ohio, and North Dakota. Students in member states pay no more than 150% of the in-state tuition rate in Iowa, making tuition far more affordable.

The cost of living can greatly influence your choices when planning your path to higher education. According to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, Iowa’s cost-of-living score is 89.7, which is far below the national average of 100. This makes Iowa the ninth-most affordable state in the country.

Iowa’s strong ranking for affordability is largely thanks to the state’s low housing costs, which rank among the cheapest in the country. Utility expenses in the state are also far below average.

As one of the smaller states in the country, Iowa has a smaller economy, with a GDP of $257 billion. However, the state is still home to all the Big Four accounting firms: Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG.

The Big Four firms all maintain offices in Des Moines, which serves as a center of business and finance activity in Iowa. Davenport is also home to a Deloitte office. In general, larger Iowa cities offer more job opportunities for accountants, particularly Des Moines.Outside of finance, Iowa hosts major industries in agriculture and machinery production. The state also projects steady growth in healthcare, education, and construction in the coming decade. These industries may all hire accountants for financial recordkeeping and examination.

Learn more about Iowa employment trends and the state’s top accounting jobs.

Accountants and auditors organize and analyze financial records, helping businesses and individuals make financial decisions. Accountants require at least a bachelor’s degree, and some positions may prefer a master’s degree with CPA licensure. In the coming decade, accountants can expect high salaries and strong job growth in Iowa.

Job Outlook in Iowa (2022-32): +8%

Financial managers oversee the financial growth of businesses of all types. They work with other executives to make decisions about their company’s financial strategies and supervise other employees, such as accountants. Financial managers may analyze markets, prepare and review financial reports, and examine a company’s overall performance.

Job Outlook in Iowa (2022-32): +20.9%

Personal financial advisors help individual clients manage their finances, offering advice on investments and helping plan for financial circumstances like retirement. They may research potential investments for clients and offer advice on tax preparation. Financial advisors can also buy stocks and bonds for their clients.

Job Outlook in Iowa (2022-32): +16.2%

Like most states, Iowa reports higher salaries for careers that require advanced education, such as accountants and financial managers. While a bachelor’s degree in accounting can prepare you for strong careers in the accounting or finance field, top-paying careers may require a master’s degree.

In general, salary levels in Iowa are below the national average. However, the state’s lower cost of living helps your salary go further, especially if you live outside of a major city. Certain jobs for bachelor’s degree-holders offer salaries above the national average, including property appraisers and assessors, tax preparers, and tax examiners.

CPA licensure is a major step toward pursuing a career in accounting in Iowa. While the Uniform CPA Examination stays the same between states, Iowa maintains its own specific requirements to obtain state licensure. To become a CPA in Iowa, you need:

The Iowa Accountancy Examining Board grants CPA licensure in the state. The Iowa Society of CPAs can also help you work through the licensing process. If you enroll in an accredited accounting program, your coursework should meet requirements for state licensure.