2 accredited schools across the Des Moines metro area trained 97 medical assistants in 2023–24. Here’s how they compare on cost, length and size, plus what the job pays locally.
Updated October 2026 · Data: IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
Sorted by number of 2023–24 graduates (IPEDS), a proxy for program size and stability.
91 Medical Assistant credentials awarded in 2023–24 at this private nonprofit four-year institution, the most in the state. Annual in-district tuition (before fees): $22,360.
Public two-year college in Ankeny that reported 6 Medical Assistant graduates in 2023–24. Annual in-district tuition (before fees): $5,550 ($11,100 out of state).
2 accredited schools in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area graduated 97 Medical Assistant students in 2023–24. The largest was Mercy College of Health Sciences with 91.
Medical Assistants in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro earn a median $46,920 a year ($22.56/hour), per BLS May 2025 data. That compares with $45,480 statewide and $45,690 nationally.
Certificate and diploma programs commonly run about 9 to 12 months; associate degrees take about 2 years.