Coastal Alabama Community College vs. Northwest Shoals Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Coastal Alabama Community College in Bay Minette, AL with Northwest Shoals Community College in Muscle Shoals, AL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Coastal Alabama Community College is larger than Northwest Shoals Community College based on total student enrollment (7,553 students vs. 4,665 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Coastal Alabama Community College is located in Bay Minette, AL (Distant Town setting); Northwest Shoals Community College is in Muscle Shoals, AL (Small City setting).
• Coastal Alabama Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northwest Shoals Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Coastal Alabama Community College 16:1; Northwest Shoals Community College 18:1.

Coastal Alabama Community College vs. Northwest Shoals Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coastal Alabama Community College or Northwest Shoals 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 Northwest Shoals Community College than Coastal Alabama Community College ($3,054 vs. $13,306).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwest Shoals Community College are 7.8% lower than at Coastal Alabama Community College ($10,000 vs. $10,850).
• Northwest Shoals Community College is 1.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Coastal Alabama Community College (about $91 more per year; $5,131.00 vs. $5,040.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1% higher at Northwest Shoals Community College than at Coastal Alabama Community College (about $91 more per year; $9,001.00 vs. $8,910.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Northwest Shoals Community College than at Coastal Alabama Community College (80% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Alabama Community College students is 10.3% larger than aid received by Northwest Shoals Community College students ($8,922 vs. $8,090).

Coastal Alabama Community College vs. Northwest Shoals Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastal Alabama Community College or Northwest Shoals 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 Northwest Shoals Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College.

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

Coastal Alabama Community College vs. Northwest Shoals Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Coastal Alabama Community College and Northwest Shoals 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 Coastal Alabama Community College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Northwest Shoals Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($32,800 vs. $29,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Northwest Shoals Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($11,000 vs. $11,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Northwest Shoals Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($113 vs. $113).
• More Northwest Shoals Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastal Alabama Community College students, three years after graduation. (37% vs. 36%)

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.