Profiles of Schools/Colleges in Iowa (IA) Offering Animation, Design, Gaming, and Media Related Programs

The city of Des Moines, Iowa supports more than 25,000 commercial businesses, among them many hundred multimedia producers and media broadcasting stations.  Lately, more and more visual artists in Des Moines are landing lucrative positions as audio-visual editors.

Aspiring Iowa graphic designers have a number of design schools to choose from. Several are Title IV degree-granting institutions. What this means is, these schools are eligible for Title IV financial aid programs. Five specific requirements must be met in order to become a Title IV school. The state’s 66 Title IV degree-granting institutions (1) have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, (2) have been in business for at least 2 years, (3) sign a participation agreement with the Department, (4) grant an associate's degree or higher, and (5) offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length.

Global advances in media technology have lately magnified the local demand for professional animation artists.  The city of Des Moines, Iowa, with a city-limits population of more than 200,000 and possibly 25,000 commercial businesses, offers countless opportunities for resident artists pursuing careers in this creative, high tech field.

The graphic design industry has experienced some dramatic changes over the years. While creativity is still one of the top requirements for entry into this field, other skills such as animation and web design are quickly climbing their way to the top of the list. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that “jobseekers in this field are expected to face keen competition,” so “graphic designers with both web design and animation experience will have the best opportunities.” In addition, employment in the graphic design field is expected to increase by 13 percent between now and 2018, so opportunities will be plentiful.