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CDL schools in Iowa
40 schools in Iowa are on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry for Class A training and take students from the public. Programs that post prices to Iowa's approved training list charge a median $4,944, with the middle 80% between $2,300 and $5,999 (17 programs).
Heavy truck drivers in Iowa earn a median $58,070 a year, and 35,040 hold those jobs. A commercial learner permit costs $12 and the Class A license $8 for 8 years (Iowa DMV pages, checked Oct 5, 2026).
Registry file Oct 5, 2026 · BLS wages May 2025 · Iowa training list (TrainingProviderResults.gov)
Class A schools open to the public in Iowa; 37 teach theory, range and road.
Typical first-time cost: median posted tuition plus the Iowa permit ($12) and CDL ($8). Medical exam extra.
Iowa training locations FMCSA has removed from the registry, 109 of them involuntarily.
Median pay for heavy truck drivers in Iowa; 35,040 work there.
Find a Iowa school near you
Type a ZIP code to see the nearest registered Class A schools. The full lists are below.
Where 40 schools are
25 cities in Iowa have a page with their schools, prices and removed providers. Biggest first.
| City | Class A schools | All registered schools |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | 4 | 4 |
Smaller towns, with their schools
Waterloo
CDL4All, LLC, Fast-Pass Trucking Training, Hawkeye Community College
Davenport
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, ELDT Solutions, Five Star Driver Training and Safety Consulting, Reeder Transportation Training Center Inc
Atlantic
Carroll CDL Training, Iowa Western Community College Atlantic
Altoona
1-Day CDL, LLC
Audubon
Carroll CDL Training
Calmar
Northeast Iowa Community College
Centerville
Indian Hills Community College
Cherokee
WITCC
Council Bluffs
Iowa Western Community College
Creston
Southwestern Community College
Denison
Grate Lakes CDL Training
Des Moines
DMACC Transportation Institute
Emmetsburg
Iowa Lakes Community College
Fort Dodge
Iowa Central Community College/Transportation Technology Center
Harlan
Iowa Western Community College Harlan
Johnston
Custom CDL Training DSM
Keokuk
Southeastern Community College
Manchester
Goldline CDL Training, LLC
Maquoketa
CDL.l.l.c.
Marion
Custom CDL Training Marion
Marshalltown
Iowa Valley Community College District
Mason City
Northland Distributing Group, Inc.
Mitchellville
CDL-Now
Muscatine
Eastern Iowa Community College
New Hampton
Northeast Iowa Community College
Ottumwa
Indian Hills Community College
Peosta
Northeast Iowa Community College
Sheldon
Northwest Iowa Community College
Sioux City
WITCC
Waukon
Northeast Iowa Community College
West Burlington
Southeastern Community College
Williamsburg
Custom CDL Training LLC
Source: FMCSA Training Provider Registry location file, Oct 5, 2026.
What we left out
We left out 326 active registrants in Iowa: 306 are private (training the employees or students of one organization only); 7 are online-only or travel to the customer; 13 tick "open to the public" but are not schools that take students: 6 school districts and public school programs, 5 employers and carriers training their own drivers, 1 bus or coach operator and 1 we could not classify from the registry record. Every count comes from the same registry file. Schools we kept pass a name, domain and class check that we describe on sources.
What CDL school costs in Iowa
Iowa programs post tuition to the Labor Department's list of approved training programs, the list workforce boards use to pay for training. Across 17 programs the median is $4,944, the lowest posted price is $1,500 and the highest is $7,000. Completion and job rates are on each school's page where it has them.
State fees
| Commercial learner permit | $12 |
|---|---|
| Class A license (8 years) | $8 |
Iowa DMV pages, checked October 5, 2026 · fee page. The DOT medical exam is extra.
Iowa's CDL manual (state DMV).
Source: TrainingProviderResults.gov program file (downloaded Oct 5, 2026); Iowa DMV pages.
Free and company-paid training in Iowa
Workforce boards. If you qualify for WIOA, a Iowa workforce board can pay tuition at a school on the state's approved list. Ask at an American Job Center before you enrol, because boards pay only for programs on the list.
Carrier-paid programs that list Iowa among their training sites. Training is free up front because you agree to drive for the carrier. What the carrier's own pages say:
| Carrier | Cost to you | Commitment | If you leave early |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Inc. | $0 upfront if you drive for Prime 1 year with CDL; Prime blog states $155 student cost ($100 admin fee + $55 permit/test costs) | 1 year driving for Prime with CDL | unverified on the carrier's page (tuition becomes payable if commitment not met) |
| CRST Expedited | $0 tuition on contract; $100 DOT physical/drug test; lodging ~$165/week; payroll deductions <= $40/week; prepay option $6,500 | 10-month contract | unverified |
| Stevens Transport | no out-of-pocket costs | 'your commitment' - length not on page; third-party reports promissory-note model | unverified |
| TMC Transportation | no upfront cost | drive for TMC for one year after training (per a search snippet of the carrier's page) | unverified |
Carrier pages checked Oct 5, 2026. "Unverified" means the carrier does not publish it; ask for the signed agreement before you start. All carriers
How to check a Iowa school before you pay
Since February 2022 you can only take the CDL skills test after finishing entry-level driver training with a provider on FMCSA's registry. Search the school's name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm its status says Active. Or use our check-a-school page, which also searches the removed list.
FMCSA has removed 116 Iowa training locations from the registry, 109 of them involuntarily. It lists no Iowa locations as under review. A school on the removed list cannot certify your training. Removals by state
30% of Iowa's Class A schools updated their registry record in 2026; 14 have left their record untouched for over two years.
Questions people ask
How much is CDL school in Iowa?
Programs on Iowa's approved training list post a median of $4,944, with the middle 80% between $2,300 and $5,999. With the permit and license fees, plan on about $4,964 before the medical exam.
How many CDL schools are in Iowa?
40 schools in Iowa are registered for Class A training and open to the public, in 33 cities. 2 more schools teach only Class B, passenger or school bus training. FMCSA lists 116 Iowa locations as removed.
How do I check that a Iowa school is on the FMCSA registry?
Search the school's name at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm its status says Active. Our check-a-school page searches active, removed and under-review records in one box.
Is there free CDL training in Iowa?
Two routes. A workforce board can pay tuition at a school on Iowa's approved training list if you qualify under WIOA, and some carriers train you for free in return for a work commitment. The terms differ, so read the signed agreement before you start.