Des Moines Area Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Des Moines Area Community College charges a net price of $11,171/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $44,684. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,018, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Des Moines Area Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #40 of 47 Iowa colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,171/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $44,684 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,018 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,342/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$191,524 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Des Moines Area Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,171 × 4 years = $44,684 total. Median earnings $41,018 fall $7,342 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $44,684 bill in about 4.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Des Moines Area Community College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 27% of the $41,018 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Des Moines Area Community College students graduate?
39% finish their degree — 61% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $44,684 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $114,574 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Des Moines Area Community College expensive compared with other Iowa colleges?
Its $11,171 net price runs $7,418 below the $18,589 median across the 47 Iowa colleges we profile, and $29,672 less across the full degree.