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Is Des Moines Area Community College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Des Moines Area Community, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Des Moines Area Community sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $41,018 helps, but median debt of $11,000 plus yearly net price of $11,171 creates a tighter path. For context, Des Moines Area Community's net price runs about 34% above the typical 2-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 791 similar 2-year, public schools
This school
$10,119
/yrAverage school like this
$7,555
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $2,564 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $10,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$11,171
Median earnings 10 years out
$41,018
Median debt at graduation
$11,000
Graduation rate
37%
At Des Moines Area Community, a typical graduate carries about $11,000 in student debt and earns roughly $41,018 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $125 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $782 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
66% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Des Moines Area Community is a two year school in Ankeny, IA. For many families, the real question is not just sticker price but what this path unlocks next, whether that is direct employment, transfer, or a lower cost route into a four year degree.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
2-year
Northeast Iowa Community
Calmar, IA
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $11,272
2-year
Ellsworth Community
Iowa Falls, IA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $11,451
2-year
Indian Hills Community
Ottumwa, IA
Worth-It Score: 60/100
Median net price: $10,693
2-year
The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls, IA
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $11,742
2-year
Southeastern Community
West Burlington, IA
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $12,347
Common questions about Des Moines Area Community
The median net price at Des Moines Area Community is $11,171 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at community colleges options in Iowa? See the most affordable community colleges in Iowa →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →