Best Online Graphic Design Programs in Ankeny, IA (2026)

Ankeny, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs, with tuition ranging from $47,656 to $61,227 per year for indexed programs. Ankeny has a population of about 70,542. Median household income is $106,603 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning graphic design-related role is Art Director at a median $90,000 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Graphic Design Schools to Ankeny

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer graphic design programs near Ankeny, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ankeny city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Ankeny. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 1.5 miles from Ankeny BOC Score 50.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,018
Avg net price $11,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Graphic Design Wages Near Ankeny

Ankeny 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)
Graphic Designer$56,520Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$61,636
Art Director$90,000Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$98,146
Web and Digital Interface Designer$75,680Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$82,530
Special Effects Artist and Animator$47,530IA statewide$51,832

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.


Ankeny at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population70,542Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$106,603Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+53.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ankeny-Area Cities With Graphic Design Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited graphic design schools are near Ankeny, IA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering graphic design programs near Ankeny. The closest is Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, IA (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Simpson College (25.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying graphic design roles near Ankeny?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying graphic design-related roles near Ankeny are: Art Director ($90,000), Web and Digital Interface Designer ($75,680), Graphic Designer ($56,520). 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 Ankeny?

Johnston, IA is 6.6 miles from Ankeny and has its own set of local graphic design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Ankeny an affordable place to study graphic design?

Ankeny’s median household income of $106,603 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ankeny 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 Graphic Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Ankeny

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

Data verified: July 30, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.