Training and Development Programs Near Mason City, Iowa

Quick answer: 4 colleges within 100 miles of Mason City, Iowa award a training and development degree, the nearest about 24 miles away (IPEDS Completions, 2024). Training and Development Specialists in Iowa earn a median $66,110 per year against $69,280 nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Training and Development Program Access Near Mason City, Iowa

Distance from Mason CityColleges awarding this degree
Within 25 miles1
Within 50 miles1
Within 100 miles4
Within 250 miles22

Source: IPEDS Completions, 2024, counting institutions that reported awarding this degree, joined to IPEDS institution coordinates. Distances are straight-line.

Access around Mason City is thinner than in the larger Iowa metros. The nearest college awarding this degree is roughly 24 miles away and 4 sit within 100 miles, which is the case where an online or low-residency program earns its keep.

Colleges Near Mason City

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 4 schools within 109 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 4 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Drake University

Des Moines, IA 109.4 miles away BOC Score 72.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 75.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 6
  • Annual completions: 178
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $65,232 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 57.7 miles away BOC Score 68.9
Tuition $9,936 - $22,278
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 92.7%
  • Graduation rate: 68.5%
  • Programs offered: 20
  • Annual completions: 227
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,830 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Buena Vista University

Storm Lake, IA 107.5 miles away BOC Score 54.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 54.5% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 11
  • Annual completions: 45
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,318 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Waldorf University

Forest City, IA 23.6 miles away BOC Score 36.8
Tuition $25,978 - $39,675
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 77.0%
  • Graduation rate: 24.0%
  • Programs offered: 7
  • Annual completions: 418
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

What Training and Development Specialists Earn in Iowa

The Iowa median for training and development specialists is $66,110 per year, below the national median of $69,280, on state employment of 4,670 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

These are statewide figures. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish wages at city level, so no page can tell you what this job pays in Mason City specifically. For the metro-level picture where it is published, and the full percentile spread, see the Iowa page.

Choosing a Training and Development Program From Mason City

The subject matter does not change by location: instructional design, adult learning theory, learning technology and authoring tools, assessment and evaluation, and program management. What changes is how you take it. Ask each college whether the program holds accreditation from a recognized institutional accreditor, how much of the coursework is delivered online, and which components require you on campus. Credit transfer is decided by the receiving institution and genuinely varies, so request a written transfer evaluation before you enroll.

Other Iowa Cities

Fort Dodge

Sources

  • U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Completions, 2024 - institutions awarding this degree, with IPEDS institution coordinates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Training and Development Specialists (SOC 13-1151)

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.