Best Online Cybersecurity Programs in West Des Moines, IA (2026)

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

West Des Moines, Iowa has 2 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs, with tuition ranging from $10,497 to $27,683 per year for indexed programs. West Des Moines has a population of about 69,893. Median household income is $84,925 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning cybersecurity-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $164,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Cybersecurity Schools to West Des Moines

The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer cybersecurity programs near West Des Moines. Distances are calculated from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 13.8 miles from West Des Moines BOC Score50.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#2

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 33.6 miles from West Des Moines BOC Score76.9
Published tuition$10,497 - $27,683
Online programsYes

Visit website

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

Cybersecurity Wages Near West Des Moines

West Des Moines 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)
Information Security Analyst$123,740Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$134,940
Network and Computer Systems Administrator$89,800Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$97,928
Computer Network Architect$108,280Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$118,081
Computer Systems Analyst$102,070Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$111,309
Computer and Information Systems Manager$164,840Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$179,760
Computer Network Support Specialist$62,050Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$67,666
Computer User Support Specialist$59,450Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$64,831

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.

West Des Moines at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population69,893Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$84,925Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+54.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Cybersecurity-related employment in Polk County5,409 workers, 1,183 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other West Des Moines-Area Cities With Cybersecurity Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited cybersecurity schools are near West Des Moines, IA?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering cybersecurity programs near West Des Moines. The closest is Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, IA (13.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Iowa State University (33.6 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying cybersecurity roles near West Des Moines?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying cybersecurity-related roles near West Des Moines are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($164,840), Information Security Analyst ($123,740), Computer Network Architect ($108,280). 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 Urbandale instead of West Des Moines?

Urbandale, IA is 6.0 miles from West Des Moines and has its own set of local cybersecurity programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is West Des Moines an affordable place to study cybersecurity?

West Des Moines’s median household income of $84,925 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in West Des Moines 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 Cybersecurity Programs

Other Programs Available in West Des Moines

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for West Des Moines:

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 Cybersecurity Programs in Iowa (2026)

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