President Angela L. Walker Franklin | Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center
President Angela L. Walker Franklin | Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center
Of the 10 institutions in the county, four provided detailed enrollment data at the time, including Mercy College of Health Sciences, Drake University and Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary.
At least 10,945 people applied to Polk County colleges in the 2022-23 school year.
NCES data shows that among them, around 29,704 students enrolled in the universities, including 27,510 in undergraduate and 2,194 in graduate programs. In total 6.1% of undergraduates transferred from another college or university.
The reported undergraduate student body is comprised mostly of white (65%) and students of unknown ethinicity (11.6%).
Among the institutions that provided disclosed enrollment data, Des Moines Area Community College stood out with the largest enrollment at the time, welcoming 21,637 students.
U.S. college enrollment has been in a downward trend since peaking at around 18.1 million students in 2010. Recent increases offered some relief, but experts project a steeper decline in 2025.
This decline is likely due to two main factors. First, the pool of young adults is shrinking as birth rates have fallen nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022. Second, the rising cost of higher education, including skyrocketing student loan debt. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report shows that more than half of Americans think a four-year degree is not worth the cost.
NCES shows that enrollment data was not available for Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center in Polk County.
Some educational data is based on estimates. Shifting demographics among student populations can sometimes result in gender totals which do not equal 100%.
| Institution | # of Applicants | # of Admitted Students | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines | -- | -- | 77 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | 152 | 147 | 911 |
| La James International College-Johnston | -- | -- | 57 |
| Drake University | 8,621 | 5,776 | 4,685 |
| Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center | -- | -- | -- |
| Grand View University | 1,886 | 1,848 | 1,827 |
| Des Moines Area Community College | -- | -- | 21,637 |
| Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary | 286 | 149 | 448 |
| UnityPoint Health-Des Moines School of Radiologic Technology | -- | -- | 19 |
| Body Wisdom Massage Therapy School | -- | -- | 43 |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up