Nursing Schools in Des Moines, IA

Key Takeaways

• Registered nurses in Iowa earn median wages around $60,000-$68,000, with Des Moines area RNs benefiting from a competitive healthcare market.
• Drake University offers a distinctive BSN program that pairs liberal arts with nursing, standing out from Iowa's traditional R1 nursing schools.
• Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) provides the most accessible and affordable ADN pathway in central Iowa.
• Des Moines is home to major health systems including UnityPoint Health and MercyOne that offer strong new graduate residency programs.
• The BLS projects 6% RN job growth nationally through 2032, and Iowa healthcare expansion creates steady local demand.
• NCLEX pass rates and ACEN/CCNE accreditation are the top metrics to evaluate when comparing Des Moines nursing programs.

Nursing Schools in Des Moines, IA: The Drake and DMACC Advantage

Des Moines is not just Iowa's capital and largest city -- it is the state's healthcare epicenter. UnityPoint Health, MercyOne, Broadlawns Medical Center, and the VA Central Iowa Health Care System collectively employ thousands of nurses and anchor a healthcare ecosystem that extends throughout central Iowa. For nursing students, this concentration of employers means abundant clinical placement opportunities, active recruitment pipelines from school to job, and competitive wages upon graduation.

While Iowa has nursing programs at large state universities like the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, the Des Moines market has its own distinct educational landscape anchored by two very different but equally valuable institutions: Drake University and Des Moines Area Community College. Understanding what each offers -- and when each makes the most sense -- is essential for anyone considering a nursing career in central Iowa.

Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences -- Nursing Program

Drake University is a private liberal arts and professional university in the heart of Des Moines, and its nursing program stands out in the Iowa market for several reasons. Drake's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is housed within its College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and reflects the university's broader commitment to interprofessional education -- nursing students regularly interact with pharmacy, health sciences, and law students, building skills for collaborative healthcare practice.

What Makes Drake's Nursing Program Distinctive

Drake's nursing curriculum blends rigorous clinical sciences with the critical thinking and communication skills that a liberal arts core provides. Students develop the ability to assess complex situations, communicate across professional and cultural boundaries, and apply evidence-based practice in clinical settings. These competencies are increasingly valued by Des Moines health system employers who recognize that nursing complexity has grown beyond pure technical skill.

Drake's small program size means nursing students get more individual attention from faculty and have better chances at securing preferred clinical rotation sites. Clinical partnerships with UnityPoint Health Iowa Methodist Medical Center, MercyOne Des Moines, and Broadlawns Medical Center give Drake students access to high-acuity patient experiences in the city's most prominent facilities.

Drake's Accelerated BSN Option

For career changers with a prior bachelor's degree in another field, Drake offers an accelerated BSN pathway that leverages existing liberal arts and science credit. This option is ideal for professionals who discover healthcare as a second career and want to enter nursing with a four-year degree in a compressed timeframe. Drake's accelerated program is intensive but well-structured, with support services for students navigating the rigors of rapid nursing education.

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) -- Nursing Program

Des Moines Area Community College is Iowa's largest community college system, and its nursing program is the backbone of the region's ADN workforce pipeline. DMACC's nursing program offers the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) pathway -- the time-tested, cost-efficient route to NCLEX-RN eligibility and registered nurse licensure.

DMACC ADN: Cost and Accessibility

The financial case for DMACC is straightforward. Per-credit-hour costs at a community college are a fraction of what private university or even state university nursing programs charge. For students who are paying for school themselves, supporting families, or working while studying, the DMACC ADN provides a path to RN wages without the six-figure debt load. DMACC also has multiple campuses across the Des Moines metro and surrounding region, making attendance logistically feasible for students in Ankeny, Boone, Carroll, and other surrounding communities.

DMACC Clinical Partnerships

DMACC has established clinical affiliation agreements with the full spectrum of Des Moines healthcare facilities, including the major hospital systems, long-term care facilities, and community health settings. Students rotating through these facilities build professional relationships with staff nurses and unit managers -- relationships that often directly lead to job offers upon graduation. Des Moines hospital systems are well acquainted with DMACC's curriculum and consistently hire its graduates.

The ADN-to-BSN Bridge from DMACC

Many DMACC ADN graduates go on to complete their BSN through online or hybrid RN-to-BSN programs while working as registered nurses. Several Iowa universities offer RN-to-BSN pathways designed specifically for working nurses, and DMACC's academic credit articulates well to these programs. The combined community college-to-university pathway is increasingly common in Iowa, providing a debt-conscious route to a BSN over 4-5 total years.

Other Nursing Programs in the Des Moines Area

Grand View University

Grand View University, a small Lutheran-affiliated liberal arts university on the east side of Des Moines, offers a BSN program with a similarly personalized approach to Drake's. Grand View emphasizes servant leadership and community health alongside clinical preparation. Its program is smaller and less nationally prominent than Drake, but the intimate environment suits students who learn best in close faculty-student settings. Grand View has particularly strong connections to community health and public health nursing rotations in Des Moines's diverse neighborhoods.

Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa University offers RN-to-BSN completion programs with substantial online flexibility, catering to working nurses across Iowa who need schedule accommodation. It is less focused on pre-licensure education but fills an important role in helping ADN-prepared nurses earn their BSN without relocating or leaving employment.

What Des Moines Nursing Students Should Know About Clinical Training

The Des Moines healthcare market gives nursing students an unusually rich clinical environment. The city has experienced significant healthcare infrastructure investment in recent years -- UnityPoint Health has expanded its Iowa Methodist campus, MercyOne continues to grow, and Broadlawns Medical Center serves as a critical safety-net hospital with a diverse patient population that exposes students to complex, high-acuity cases. Students who complete rotations at these facilities gain exposure to trauma, high-risk obstetrics, advanced cardiac care, and mental health services that are not universally available at smaller regional clinical sites.

The growing concentration of urgent care centers, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient specialty clinics in the Des Moines suburbs also provides expanding clinical placement options beyond traditional inpatient settings -- a reflection of where nursing practice is increasingly moving.

Nursing Salaries in Des Moines

BLS wage data for registered nurses places the national median annual wage for RNs at approximately $81,220. Iowa wages run somewhat below the national median, but Des Moines area wages are higher than the Iowa statewide figure due to the competitive urban healthcare market. New graduate RNs at Des Moines hospital systems typically start in the $55,000-$63,000 range, with experienced nurses in specialty care (ICU, ER, surgical) earning $70,000-$85,000. Travel nurse rate pressures have also raised permanent staff wages significantly in recent years at UnityPoint and MercyOne.

Choosing Between Drake and DMACC

The Drake vs. DMACC decision comes down to personal priorities:

• Choose Drake if: you want a liberal-arts BSN from a respected private university, plan to pursue graduate nursing education quickly, or value small class sizes and interprofessional learning.
• Choose DMACC if: minimizing educational debt is your priority, you want to enter the workforce sooner, or you plan to complete your BSN through an RN-to-BSN program while working.
• Consider Grand View if: you want a small BSN program with community health focus at lower private-school cost than Drake.
• Both paths lead to RN licensure -- the key is choosing the environment and pace where you will thrive academically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What nursing schools are in Des Moines, Iowa? Des Moines area nursing schools include Drake University (BSN), Des Moines Area Community College (ADN), Grand View University (BSN), and Upper Iowa University (RN-to-BSN). Each offers different pathways to RN licensure with varying costs, timelines, and program cultures.

Is Drake University nursing program accredited? Drake University's nursing program holds accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), one of the two major national nursing accreditation bodies. CCNE accreditation ensures the program meets national standards for nursing education quality.

What do nurses earn in Des Moines? According to BLS wage data, Des Moines area registered nurses earn median annual wages in the $60,000-$70,000 range, with experienced specialty nurses earning $75,000-$88,000 or more depending on setting and experience level.