DMACC Housing Costs

$5,400 On-Campus Room Typical Cost

$3,460 On-Campus Meals Typical Cost

$810 Books & Supplies Typical Cost

$2,358 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

How Do Housing Costs Compare at DMACC?

There are additional costs associated with college other than tuition. Find out below exactly how much you will be spending to attend Des Moines Area Community College.

On this page you will find:

Living Expenses Outline
Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
References

Room and Board Expenses at DMACC

Housing and meal plans are priced out separately here. The standard student paid $5,400 in 2026, and the cost of a typical dining plan was $3,460. All in all, a student living on campus at Des Moines Area Community College can expect to spend about $14,872 in 2026 for room, board, books and other living costs combined.

The following table outlines average expected costs for both on-campus and off-campus housing, meals and other expenses at Des Moines Area Community College.

Expense	On Campus	Off Campus
Room and Board	$11,704	$14,004
— Housing	$5,400
— Meals	$3,460
Other Living Expenses	$2,358	$4,662
Books and Supplies	$810	$810
Total	$14,872	$19,476

The Projected Cost of Living On Campus? Forecasted Cost is $68,582

Housing and dining costs rarely hold still from one year to the next. Looking at the trend gives you a realistic picture of what you will actually spend by graduation.

Over the course of obtaining your degree, expect on-campus living costs near $68,582 in housing, food and other expenses.

Below is how room and board has changed across recent reported years — and where current trends point — at Des Moines Area Community College.

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$9,618
Two Years Ago	$9,898
One Year Ago	$10,548
Most Recent Year (2026)	$11,704
One Year From Now *	$12,550
Two Years From Now *	$13,457
Three Years From Now *	$14,430
Four Years From Now *	$15,473

* estimated

Most recently, on-campus costs increased an average of 7.2% each year. If current trends continue, incoming first-year students would pay about $15,718 in their first year.

Projected forward, the last year of a four-year degree runs about $18,641 in year four — and a two-year student about $16,625 by the end of a two-year program.

For a full bachelor’s degree, expect to spend a total of around $68,582 for a bachelor’s, while two years would run about $32,343 over a two-year associate program.