Financial Aid / Tuition

Tuition: $20,988
Yes, you read that right

Central College’s affordable tuition price opens doors to a high-quality, liberal arts education — and scholarships are still available. In fact, every admitted student is guaranteed a $1,000 Journey Scholarship, and that’s on donor and alumni commitment.

See How Central Stacks Up

Crunch the Numbers

  • #4 of 28 Best Value Colleges in Iowa*
  • The median salary of a Central graduate six years after college is $44,700 — compared to $33,028 nationally.*
*According to Niche.com.
2024-25 Price<br />Tuition: $20,988<br />Room: $5,800<br />Food: $6,260<br />Total Price: $33,048

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

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$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.

* Estimated price to attend based on 2023-24 published price plus 4%.

And Scholarships Are Still Available!

Mortarboard with writing: Made it to the top now back to 1st grade - Miss Fritz, BA 2021.

Central will continue to offer scholarships and financial aid in proportion to the new tuition price. In fact, Central now offers more scholarships than ever before.

Learn More

Commitments and Programs

Central has a number of initiatives to enhance the student experience, boost the value of a Central education and promote the career readiness of its graduates.

For students who meet specific standards and expectations for progress toward a degree, Central guarantees graduation in four years or the ninth semester tuition is free. In addition, every student in good academic and social standing will be offered at least one internship, shadowing experience or community service opportunity.

We are committed to the success of our students. These assurances allow students to join the Central community knowing they are receiving an affordable education with incredible value — and knowing they will be supported in their success now and beyond graduation.

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These initiatives include:

Still Have Questions?

Check out these helpful Financial Aid FAQ videos, or see our Frequently Asked Questions page for more.

Getting Started

The FAFSA

Scholarships


Becoming Madolyn

The Central College experience looks different for everyone, but Madolyn Clark Johnson ’22 couldn’t help but grow here.

Read More


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