Best Online Accounting Programs in Urbandale, IA (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Urbandale, Iowa has 3 accredited schools offering accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $4,872 to $14,774 per year for indexed programs. Urbandale has a population of about 46,026. Median household income is $113,086 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning accounting-related role is Financial Manager at a median $154,140 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Accounting Schools to Urbandale

The 3 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 3 schools in our directory that offer accounting programs near Urbandale. Distances are calculated from Urbandale city center.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Urbandale. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 10.0 miles from Urbandale BOC Score50.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Southwestern Community College

Creston, IA 49.8 miles from Urbandale BOC Score57.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Indian Hills Community College

Ottumwa, IA 83.0 miles from Urbandale BOC Score56.2
Published tuition$4,872 - $14,774
Online programsYes

Visit website

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa accounting page.

Accounting Wages Near Urbandale

Urbandale is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$79,290Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$86,467
Financial Manager$154,140Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$168,092
Financial Analyst$98,490Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$107,405
Budget Analyst$91,920Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$100,240
Tax Preparer$63,560Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$69,313
Tax Examiner and Collector$66,860IA statewide$72,912
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,610Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$55,191

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Urbandale at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population46,026Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$113,086Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+51.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Accounting-related employment in Polk County2,160 workers, 322 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Urbandale-Area Cities With Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited accounting schools are near Urbandale, IA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering accounting programs near Urbandale. The closest is Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, IA (10.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Indian Hills Community College (83.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying accounting roles near Urbandale?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying accounting-related roles near Urbandale are: Financial Manager ($154,140), Financial Analyst ($98,490), Budget Analyst ($91,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Johnston instead of Urbandale?

Johnston, IA is 4.6 miles from Urbandale and has its own set of local accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Urbandale an affordable place to study accounting?

Urbandale’s median household income of $113,086 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Urbandale while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Urbandale

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Urbandale:

Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Online Accounting Programs in Iowa (2026)

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