Des Moines, IA (population: 200,202) has twenty-eight locksmith schools within a 500-mile radius of its city center. Michigan State University, the highest ranked school in this group with a locksmith program, has a total student population of 47,071. It is the 45th highest ranked school in the USA and one of the highest in the state .
Locksmith students from Des Moines schools who go on to become locksmiths, certified master locksmiths, road service locksmiths, etc. have a good chance at finding employment. For example, there are 16,910 people working as locksmiths and safe repairers alone in the US, and their average annual salary is $37,550.
Des Moines lies in Polk county, which is one of the 52 counties in Iowa. Overall, the Des Moines-West Des Moines area has 322,000 total employed workers according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a 1% unemployment rate, $20/hr average worker wage, and a $42,120 average annual salary.
Of the 28 locksmith schools with a 500-mile radius of Des Moines, only 13 have a student population over 10k. After taking into account tuition, living expenses, and financial aid, University of Phoenix-West Michigan Campus comes out as the most expensive ($26,289/yr) for locksmith students, with Southwestern Illinois College as the lowest, reported at only $4,238/yr.
| Name | State | Population | # of Schools | Avg School Rank | Total Programs | Distance from Des Moines |
| Urbandale | IA | - | 1 | 15.697 | 16 | 5.8 miles |
| West Des Moines | IA | 57,065 | 1 | 4.37611 | 3 | 6.8 miles |
| Ankeny | IA | 45,142 | 2 | 40.688 | 102 | 9.7 miles |
| Ames | IA | 58,120 | 1 | 34.322 | 6 | 30.4 miles |
| Fort Dodge | IA | - | 2 | 25.3587 | 65 | 69.4 miles |
| Cedar Falls | IA | - | 3 | 27.7287 | 174 | 88.8 miles |
| Waterloo | IA | 67,011 | 3 | 23.0675 | 66 | 90.7 miles |