Best Interior Design Schools Near Fort Dodge, IA (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Fort Dodge, Iowa has 3 accredited schools offering interior design programs, with tuition ranging from $9,936 to $22,278 per year for indexed programs. Fort Dodge has a population of about 24,788. Median household income is $61,769 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning interior design-related role is Interior Designer at a median $58,040 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Interior Design Schools to Fort Dodge

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer interior design programs near Fort Dodge, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Fort Dodge 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 Fort Dodge. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 42.9 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
76.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,386
Avg net price $18,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Des Moines Area Community College

Ankeny, IA 62.5 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
50.0 BOC Score
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: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 87.2 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
68.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA 135.2 miles from Fort Dodge
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
56.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,016
Avg net price $9,705/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Interior Design Wages Near Fort Dodge

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Interior Designer$58,040
Graphic Designer$50,310

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.

Fort Dodge at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,788Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,769Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Fort Dodge-Area Cities With Interior Design Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited interior design schools are near Fort Dodge, IA?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering interior design programs near Fort Dodge. The closest is Iowa State University in Ames, IA (42.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Northern Iowa (87.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying interior design roles in Iowa?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying interior design-related roles in Iowa are: Interior Designer ($58,040), Graphic Designer ($50,310). Wages for Fort Dodge workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Ames instead of Fort Dodge?

Ames, IA is 43.6 miles from Fort Dodge and has its own set of local interior design programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Fort Dodge an affordable place to study interior design?

Fort Dodge’s median household income of $61,769 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fort Dodge 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 Interior Design Programs

Other Programs Available in Fort Dodge

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

Data verified: August 25, 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 Interior Design Schools in Iowa: Online Programs (2026)