Iowa Lakes Community College vs. SWCC

Comparable Facts

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

Iowa Lakes Community College is larger than SWCC based on total student enrollment (1,945 students vs. 1,566 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Iowa Lakes Community College is located in Estherville, IA (Remote Town setting); Southwestern Community College is in Creston, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Iowa Lakes 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: Iowa Lakes Community College 13:1; Southwestern Community College 14:1.

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. SWCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Lakes 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 Iowa Lakes Community College ($9,410 vs. $13,278).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Lakes Community College are 6.7% lower than at Southwestern Community College ($8,310 vs. $8,910).
• Southwestern Community College is 9.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Iowa Lakes Community College (about $672 more per year; $8,064.00 vs. $7,392.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.6% higher at SWCC than at Iowa Lakes Community College (about $444 more per year; $8,316.00 vs. $7,872.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Community College than at Iowa Lakes Community College (79% vs. 72%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 19.8% larger than aid received by Iowa Lakes Community College students ($7,099 vs. $5,926).

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. SWCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Iowa Lakes 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 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; SWCC - Open admission.

Iowa Lakes Community College vs. SWCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Iowa Lakes 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 Iowa Lakes Community College earn a median of about $600 more per year than SWCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,200 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern 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, Southwestern 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 SWCC students, three years after graduation. (52% 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.