Best Online Nursing Programs in Ankeny, IA (2026)

Ankeny, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $5,304 to $15,405 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $237,670 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Ankeny

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing 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 nursing page.


Nursing 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)
Registered Nurse$78,630Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$85,747
Licensed Practical Nurse$63,670Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$69,433
Nurse Anesthetist$237,670Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$259,182
Nurse Midwife$131,360IA statewide$143,250
Nurse Practitioner$132,230Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$144,198
Nursing Assistant$43,940Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$47,917

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
Nursing-related employment in Polk County16,198 workers, 169 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ankeny-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Ankeny, IA?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Ankeny are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Ankeny?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Ankeny are: Nurse Anesthetist ($237,670), Nurse Practitioner ($132,230), Nurse Midwife ($131,360). 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 nursing 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 nursing?

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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Ankeny

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.