Best Colleges in Des Moines

Questions About Going to College in Des Moines

How are the career opportunities for college graduates in Des Moines?

What can Des Moines offer a college grad? Just ask the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In describing the city as “the ideal place for doing business,” it notes jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 2.9 percent annually. Ranked 2nd on Forbes' 2014 list of Best Places for Business and Careers and Best City for Young Professionals, recent grads start their careers in Des Moines. In fact, a quick check of Monster.com shows more than 1,000 possibilities within the city and its environs. Did we mention that Iowa’s capital is the headquarters for Principal Financial Group, Ruan Transportation, and Meredith Corp., publisher of Better Homes and Gardens? Insurance jobs are plentiful with EMC Insurance, Nationwide, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. For agriculture majors, students can look to DuPont Pioneer or John Deere. If you miss campus life, consider employment opportunities at Des Moines University, Draker University, or Grand View University. Not sure where to work? Get the insider’s list—The Des Moines Register recognized 150 companies and organizations throughout the state as the Top Workplaces 2015 based on surveys completed by their employees.

Growing industries? What major companies/industries are hiring what type of graduates/skills in Des Moines?

Facebook and Microsoft have data center operations in the city, the Cultivation Corridor attracts agriculture and bioscience companies, and the manufacturing sector is growing to meets the demands of the marketplace. Forbes has ranked the city #35 in job growth and the top industries through 2020 are projected as banking, employment services, restaurants, management of companies and insurance agencies. Those looking to enjoy Iowa’s countryside can also find jobs in more rural settings.

Is Des Moines more of a college town or a great place to start a career and family? What communities are best?

Des Moines may be circled by two and four-year colleges and universities, but it definitely gives off that “stick-around” feel once your collegiate days end. This busy metropolis generates a small-town atmosphere that serves as the cultural center for the state. AreaVibes.com, designed to help grads find the best places to live throughout the nation, gives Des Moines an “extremely livable” score of 76 based on dozens of characteristics in categories including nearby amenities, cost of living, crime rate, education, employment, housing, and weather (http://www.areavibes.com/des+moines-ia/livability/?ll=41.60054+-93.60911). Its outlying areas place even higher – Ingersoll Park, ranked the number one spot to live in the state, has a score of 82; Salisbury Oaks and Waveland Woods each come in at 81, and Greenwood and Linden Heights get an 80. The cost of living in Des Moines is about 6 percent cheaper than the national average, according to Forbes, and the average commute is twenty minutes, one of the lowest for a city its size.

What do the locals in Des Moines like to do for fun?

No matter how you define “fun,” Des Moines has places to go and people to see. The city boasts a rich theater and arts presence with the Des Moines Metro Opera, Des Moines Symphony and Des Moines Art Center with its Pappajohn Sculpture Park. Make it your civic duty to visit the capitol building. Prefer the outdoors? Visit the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Blank Park Zoo, Gray’s Lake Park, or Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. Support local agriculture and buy fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, wines, cheeses and baked goods every Saturday, May-October, at the Downtown Farmers’ Market. If sports are your thing, take in a baseball game at Principal Park, home of the double-A Iowa Cubs, or play a round of golf on one of the city’s more than half-dozen nine and 18-hole courses.

What's the dating scene like in Des Moines? Will I meet my perfect mate?

Looking for a mate in the Hawkeye state? Des Moines has more than 76,000 singles milling around its 204,000 residents, meaning nearly one third of the population is unattached. Of those, the majority are 25-34. The city ranks number one in the state in dating age rank, which looks at those in the 18-44 range. Need a hot first date spot? Check out the Continental Restaurant or a local BBQ eatery. Or get active with the rides at Adventureland or biking along the Clive Greenbelt Trail or Terrace Hill. It looks like the odds are in your favor for a second, third and fourth date!