Best Kinesiology Schools Near Des Moines, WA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Des Moines, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology programs. Des Moines has a population of about 32,545. Median household income is $89,787 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 33.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning kinesiology-related role is Exercise Physiologist at a median $84,300 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Kinesiology Schools to Des Moines

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer kinesiology programs near Des Moines, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Des Moines 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 Des Moines. 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

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, WA 11.7 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
57.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,594
Avg net price $38,394/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Seattle University

Seattle, WA 15.0 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,272
Avg net price $34,662/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Bellevue College

Bellevue, WA 15.4 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,310
Avg net price $11,430/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, WA 18.0 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,990
Avg net price $19,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, WA 18.0 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
52.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,506
Avg net price $24,488/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 18.2 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Northwest University

Kirkland, WA 19.3 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
50.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 83%
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,914
Avg net price $22,288/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,035
Out‑of‑state$36,035
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pierce College District

Lakewood, WA 19.3 miles from Des Moines
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
69.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,532
Avg net price $10,222/yr
Tuition
In‑state$5,418
Out‑of‑state$5,976
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Kinesiology Wages Near Des Moines

Des Moines is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Exercise Physiologist $84,300 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $75,878
Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor $56,380 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $50,747
Athletic Trainer $69,980 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $62,988
Coach and Scout $49,640 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $44,680

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.

Des Moines at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 32,545 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $89,787 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 33.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 111.1 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Des Moines-Area Cities With Kinesiology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited kinesiology schools are near Des Moines, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering kinesiology programs near Des Moines. The closest is University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA (11.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Seattle Pacific University (18.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying kinesiology roles near Des Moines?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying kinesiology-related roles near Des Moines are: Exercise Physiologist ($84,300), Athletic Trainer ($69,980), Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor ($56,380). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in SeaTac instead of Des Moines?

SeaTac, WA is 3.7 miles from Des Moines and has its own set of local kinesiology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Des Moines an affordable place to study kinesiology?

Des Moines’s median household income of $89,787 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Des Moines while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Kinesiology Programs

Other Programs Available in Des Moines

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

Data verified: September 6, 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 Kinesiology Schools in Washington: Online Programs (2026)