Private Non-profit 📍 Pella, Iowa 👥 1,070 students

Central College

#19 in Iowa
High ROI
⏱ 1.7 years to break even
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90 ROI Score
● 70–100: High ROI
● 45–69: Good ROI
● 20–44: Moderate ROI
● 0–19: Low ROI
💰
$54,317
Median Graduate Salary
10 years after enrollment
🎓
$26,984
Median Student Debt
Among degree completers
🏫
$20,988
In-State Tuition
Per year
💵
$23,377
Average Net Price
After grants & aid
🏆
66%
Graduation Rate
4-yr programs, 150% time
📝
86%
Acceptance Rate
Overall admission rate

📊 ROI Breakdown

Graduate Median Salary
$54,317
−
HS-only Median Salary
$38,792
=
Annual Salary Premium
$15,525
$26,984 (median debt) ÷ $15,525 (annual premium) = 1.7 years to break even

Salary vs. Debt Comparison

Graduate Salary
$54,317
Student Debt
$26,984
HS-only Salary
$38,792

Top ROI Colleges in Iowa

# College ROI Rating Break-Even Grad Salary Student Debt
1 Drake University
Des Moines
 High ROI 0.7 yrs $71,901 $23,000
2 Allen College
Waterloo
 High ROI 0.6 yrs $71,261 $18,750
3 Grinnell College
Grinnell
 High ROI 0.7 yrs $62,830 $17,500
4 Mercy College of Health Sciences
Des Moines
 High ROI 0.6 yrs $62,234 $14,745
5 University of Iowa
Iowa City
 High ROI 0.9 yrs $64,762 $22,500
See All Iowa Rankings →
Data Source: All figures sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Median salary = 10 years post-enrollment. Debt = median debt of completers. ROI calculation by Search 6000+ US Colleges. Last updated: May 13, 2026.