Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Iowa Western Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, IA with Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Iowa Western Community College is larger than Iowa Lakes Community College based on total student enrollment (5,540 students vs. 1,945 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Iowa Lakes Community College is located in Estherville, IA (Remote Town setting); Iowa Western Community College is in Council Bluffs, IA (Small City setting).
• Iowa Lakes Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Iowa Western Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Iowa Lakes Community College 13:1; Iowa Western Community College 22:1.

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Iowa Western Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Lakes Community College or Iowa Western Community College? 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 Iowa Lakes Community College than Iowa Western Community College ($13,278 vs. $13,852).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Lakes Community College are 5% lower than at Iowa Western Community College ($8,310 vs. $8,750).
• Iowa Lakes Community College is 6.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Iowa Western Community College (about $462 more per year; $7,392.00 vs. $6,930.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.2% higher at Iowa Lakes Community College than at Iowa Western Community College (about $792 more per year; $7,872.00 vs. $7,080.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Iowa Lakes Community College than at Iowa Western Community College (72% vs. 61%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Western Community College students is 10.1% larger than aid received by Iowa Lakes Community College students ($6,524 vs. $5,926).

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Iowa Western Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Iowa Lakes Community College or Iowa Western Community College? 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 Iowa Western Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College.

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

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Iowa Western Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Iowa Lakes Community College and Iowa Western Community College? 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 of Iowa Lakes Community College and Iowa Western Community College have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($34,200 vs. $34,200), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Iowa Western Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Iowa Western Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More Iowa Lakes Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa Western Community College students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 42%)

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.