Des Moines Area Community College

Accreditation Information

Current status: Accredited

• Action Letter – Reaffirmation of Accreditation

Status	Dates
Candidate	03/31/1971 - 03/26/1974
Accredited	03/27/1974 - Present

Most recent reaffirmation of accreditation: 2016 - 2017

Next reaffirmation of accreditation: 2026 - 2027

Upcoming or In-Progress Reviews

Date	Event	Description
03/08/2027	Comprehensive Evaluation

Most Recent History With HLC

Note: This list does not include all accreditation activities.

Date	Event	Outcome
01/06/2025	Substantive Change Request - Pell-Eligible Prison Education Program	Request Approved
01/06/2025	Substantive Change Request - Pell-Eligible Prison Education Program	Request Approved
06/06/2023	Substantive Change Request - Competency-Based Education	Request Approved
06/06/2023	Substantive Change Request - Competency-Based Education	Request Approved
09/20/2021	Assurance Review	Continue Accreditation
10/22/2018	Substantive Change Request - Notification Program for Additional Locations	Request Approved
07/31/2018	Substantive Change Request - Additional Location	Request Approved
02/27/2017	Comprehensive Evaluation	Reaffirm Accreditation
05/16/2016	Substantive Change Request - Additional Location	Request Approved
07/01/2014	Substantive Change Request - Additional Location	Request Approved

Student Success Outcomes

Student outcome information, including graduation rates and other measures, is available on the institution’s website and the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator and, for institutions that enroll undergraduate students, College Scorecard.

• Des Moines Area Community College Student Achievement Data
• College Scorecard: Des Moines Area Community College
• College Navigator: Des Moines Area Community College

Note: The College Navigator and College Scorecard links will take you to information about the institution's main campus. Some colleges or universities may report separate information on these websites for certain divisions or branch campuses. Search these sites to find this additional information.

Institutional Characteristics

Please note: All institutions are required to represent themselves accurately and consistently to multiple agencies. Information about the institution that is published by other agencies may appear differently, depending on the timing of the institution's updates to those agencies or those agencies' definitions or standards. For example, an institution's control may be categorized differently by the U.S. Department of Education for other purposes under its standards.

Control

Public

Educational Programs Offered

• Associate's
• Certificate Programs

Campuses and Additional Locations

Approved Campuses and Additional Locations

The institution's accreditation includes courses and programs offered at the campuses and additional locations listed below. This list includes campuses and locations that are active and inactive (i.e., not currently enrolling students).

Last updated: 04/01/2025

Main Campus

2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50023-3993

In-State

Branch Campuses

Additional Locations

Out-of-State

Branch Campuses

None

Additional Locations

None

International

Branch Campuses

None

Additional Locations

None

HLC's Notification Program for Additional Locations

Institutions that meet certain eligibility criteria may apply to participate in HLC's Notification Program for Additional Locations. This program allows institutions to open new locations after notifying HLC and receiving confirmation that the location has been added to our records, rather than applying for approval through the standard substantive change process.

Participation Status

The institution participates in the Notification Program for Additional Locations.

About HLC and Accreditation

HLC is an institutional accreditation agency that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities that are based in the United States.

Institutional accreditation validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, including its academic offerings, governance and administration, mission, finances, and resources. HLC's accreditation includes all degree levels as well as on-site and online course delivery. Institutions of higher education in the United States may also seek accreditation through specialized or programmatic accreditation agencies, which accredit programs, departments or schools within a college or university.

Evaluation Process

Institutions that HLC accredits are evaluated against its Criteria for Accreditation and other HLC requirements. HLC accreditation assures quality by verifying that an institution (1) meets threshold requirements and (2) is engaged in continuous improvement. In addition, all institutions are required to report data annually in the Institutional Update, undergo annual monitoring of financial and non-financial indicators, and adhere to HLC policies and practices.

The accreditation process is based on a system of peer review. Faculty and staff from institutions of higher education serve as HLC peer reviewers conducting accreditation evaluations for other institutions. They make recommendations to HLC’s decision-making bodies, which take final action on institutional evaluations.

Decision Making

HLC's decision-making bodies evaluate and make decisions, called actions, on recommendations from peer reviewers and staff that review institutions for their compliance with HLC's Criteria for Accreditation and other requirements. The decision-making bodies are comprised of institutional representatives and public members. See Decision-Making Bodies and Processes for more information.

Public Information

HLC is committed to providing information to the public regarding accreditation decisions made regarding individual institutions.

Actions that are taken by HLC regarding an institution's accreditation status are disclosed to the public. In cases of reaffirming continued accreditation, placing an institution on or reviewing a sanction, or withdrawing accreditation, the Action Letter issued to the institution is made available on the institution's Statement of Accreditation Status, found by searching the institution's name through HLC's online directory. Public Disclosure Notices (PDNs) are also issued and posted in the directory in cases of sanction, assigning or removing an institutional designation, resignation of accreditation or candidacy, institutional closing or withdrawal of accreditation by HLC. The PDN provides the public with the most applicable information from the posted Action Letter. HLC decision-making outcomes also are summarized on the HLC Accreditation Actions page.

Complaints Against Institutions

HLC has a formal complaint process, consisting of an online complaint form for faculty, students and other parties to submit information regarding a member institution’s potential non-compliance with HLC requirements. As stated in HLC policy, the complaints process is designed to enable HLC to review, in a timely and fair manner, information that suggests potential substantive non-compliance with an institution's ability to meet HLC requirements.