Iowa Western Community College vs. SWCC

Comparable Facts

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

Iowa Western Community College is larger than SWCC based on total student enrollment (5,540 students vs. 1,566 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Iowa Western Community College is located in Council Bluffs, IA (Small City setting); Southwestern Community College is in Creston, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Iowa Western 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 Western Community College 22:1; Southwestern Community College 14:1.

Iowa Western Community College vs. SWCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Western 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 Western Community College ($9,410 vs. $13,852).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Western Community College are 1.8% lower than at Southwestern Community College ($8,750 vs. $8,910).
• Southwestern Community College is 16.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Iowa Western Community College (about $1,134 more per year; $8,064.00 vs. $6,930.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.5% higher at SWCC than at Iowa Western Community College (about $1,236 more per year; $8,316.00 vs. $7,080.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Community College than at Iowa Western Community College (79% vs. 61%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 8.8% larger than aid received by Iowa Western Community College students ($7,099 vs. $6,524).

Iowa Western Community College vs. SWCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Iowa Western 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 Western Community College.

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

Iowa Western Community College vs. SWCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Iowa Western 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 Western 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 Western 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 Western 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 Iowa Western Community College students, three years after graduation. (45% 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.