Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Kirkwood Community College is larger than Iowa Lakes Community College based on total student enrollment (12,763 students vs. 1,945 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Iowa Lakes Community College is located in Estherville, IA (Remote Town setting); Kirkwood Community College is in Cedar Rapids, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Iowa Lakes Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Kirkwood Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Iowa Lakes Community College 13:1; Kirkwood Community College 20:1.

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Lakes Community College or Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College than Iowa Lakes Community College ($8,936 vs. $13,278).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Lakes Community College are 8.6% lower than at Kirkwood Community College ($8,310 vs. $9,090).
• Iowa Lakes Community College is 19.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kirkwood Community College (about $1,216 more per year; $7,392.00 vs. $6,176.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.4% higher at Kirkwood Community College than at Iowa Lakes Community College (about $348 more per year; $8,220.00 vs. $7,872.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Iowa Lakes Community College than at Kirkwood Community College (72% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Kirkwood Community College students is 9.9% larger than aid received by Iowa Lakes Community College students ($6,511 vs. $5,926).

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Iowa Lakes Community College or Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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; Kirkwood Community College - Open admission.

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

How do outcomes compare for Iowa Lakes Community College and Kirkwood 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 from Kirkwood Community College earn a median of about $2,400 more per year than Iowa Lakes Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $34,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Kirkwood 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, Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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.