Hawkeye Community College vs. SWCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, IA with Southwestern Community College in Creston, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hawkeye Community College is larger than SWCC based on total student enrollment (5,120 students vs. 1,566 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, IA (Rural Fringe setting); Southwestern Community College is in Creston, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Hawkeye Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwestern Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Hawkeye Community College 13:1; Southwestern Community College 14:1.

Hawkeye Community College vs. SWCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hawkeye Community College or SWCC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwestern Community College than Hawkeye Community College ($9,410 vs. $9,532).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Community College are 13.8% lower than at Hawkeye Community College ($8,910 vs. $10,340).
• Southwestern Community College is 23.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hawkeye Community College (about $1,539 more per year; $8,064.00 vs. $6,525.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.8% higher at SWCC than at Hawkeye Community College (about $1,704 more per year; $8,316.00 vs. $6,612.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hawkeye Community College than at Southwestern Community College (82% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 36.6% larger than aid received by Hawkeye Community College students ($7,099 vs. $5,198).

Hawkeye Community College vs. SWCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hawkeye Community College or SWCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SWCC and Hawkeye Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Hawkeye Community College - Open admission; SWCC - Open admission.

Hawkeye Community College vs. SWCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hawkeye Community College and SWCC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Hawkeye Community College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than SWCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,500 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Southwestern Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More SWCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hawkeye Community College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 45%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.