Financial Aid
Our Tuition
By choosing Central, you are choosing to invest in your future. The value of Central lies in the experiences you’ll have, the people you’ll meet and the doors that will be opened to you.
Our TuitionA High-Quality Education
We work to make sure a high-quality education at Central is attainable for all students. Both academic and need-based financial aid is available, and the value of your education will endure throughout your life.
You’ll leave college better prepared for a career, having focused on hands-on learning, internships and making connections that will last a lifetime.
A Private Education:
More Affordable Than Ever
We don’t believe tuition prices should be a barrier to a quality education. Central is more affordable than ever. And that’s before financial aid!
Our commitment to affordable pricing and generous scholarship offerings make Central’s high-quality, individualized education comparable in price to that of many large public universities.
How Central Stacks Up
Our 2024-25 tuition of $20,988 is comparable with state schools. And way less than other Iowa private colleges.
$20,988 (Central’s Tuition) + $12,060 (Central’s Housing and Food) = $33,048
A Comparison of Tuition + Housing and Food With Other Iowa Institutions
$13,575
Average aid and scholarships a student receives from Central, federal and state awards, which can be subtracted from total price for an incredibly affordable experience.
This bar chart compares the estimated prices of tuition and housing and food at Central
with five other Iowa institutions. The X-axis is price in increments of 10,000, and the
Y-axis is individual colleges, ordered from least to greatest price. The University of
Northern Iowa is ranked first at an estimated total price of $20,151. Iowa State University
is ranked second at $21,032. The University of Iowa is ranked third at $24,523. Central College
is ranked fourth at $33,048. Wartburg College is ranked fifth at $38,000. Simpson is
ranked sixth at $57,610.
* Estimated price to attend based on 2023-24 published price plus 4%.
Investment of a Lifetime
Coming to college, I was really stressed about where my money would come from. But Central has a lot of support for students, a lot of scholarship opportunities and ways to work on campus.”
DelTon Alexander ’24
HOMETOWN: Iowa City, Iowa
SCHOLARSHIPS: Mark and Kay DeCook Family, Main Family Scholarship, Bill & Connie Hinga Scholarship for Outstanding Campus Leadership and Journey
MAJOR: Sociology
CAREER GOAL: Work with nonprofit organizations that impact the childcare system
Crunch the Numbers
- 96% of Central College graduates are employed two years after graduation — compared to 83% nationally.*
- 100% of Central College students receive financial aid.
Next Step – File the FAFSA
Filing the FAFSA is the first step toward maximizing your financial aid. While you wait for your aid, we can also provide an early look at what to expect. Our financial aid office provides families with early aid estimates. Connect with Wayne Dille, director of financial aid, at 641-628-5336 or dillew@central.edu to request a preliminary award.
Ready To Serve
Jenna Hernandez ’24 was inspired by those before her to step into her role as a leader. Now she’s embracing the experience and serving as student body president for the 2023-24 academic year.
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