Head-to-head comparison
Des Moines Area Community College vs Emmaus Bible College: which has better ROI?
Option A Ankeny, IA
Des Moines Area Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,171
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,018
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Dubuque, IA
Emmaus Bible College
- Net price / year
- $13,186
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,631
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Emmaus Bible College comes closer — median earnings $42,631 against a $52,744 total, vs $41,018 at Des Moines Area Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Des Moines Area Community College | Emmaus Bible College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,171 | $13,186 |
| Total net cost | $44,684 | $52,744 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,018 | $42,631 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $15,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$191,524 | -$167,324 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Des Moines Area Community College or Emmaus Bible College?
Des Moines Area Community College, at $11,171 a year after aid versus $13,186 — a gap of $2,015 a year, or $8,060 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Des Moines Area Community College or Emmaus Bible College graduates earn more?
Emmaus Bible College graduates report a median $42,631 ten years after entry, $1,613 more than the $41,018 at Des Moines Area Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Des Moines Area Community College or Emmaus Bible College?
Des Moines Area Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $15,750 at Emmaus Bible College, a difference of $4,750. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
83% of students finish at Emmaus Bible College, against 39% at Des Moines Area Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.