Kirkwood Community College vs. North Iowa Area Community College

Comparable Facts

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

Kirkwood Community College is larger than North Iowa Area Community College based on total student enrollment (12,763 students vs. 2,662 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Kirkwood Community College is located in Cedar Rapids, IA (Rural Fringe setting); North Iowa Area Community College is in Mason City, IA (Remote Town setting).
• Kirkwood Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. North Iowa Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Kirkwood Community College 20:1; North Iowa Area Community College 23:1.

Kirkwood Community College vs. North Iowa Area Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kirkwood Community College or North Iowa Area 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 North Iowa Area Community College ($8,936 vs. $9,852).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Iowa Area Community College are 12% lower than at Kirkwood Community College ($8,000 vs. $9,090).
• North Iowa Area Community College is 7.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kirkwood Community College (about $477 more per year; $6,653.00 vs. $6,176.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.2% higher at North Iowa Area Community College than at Kirkwood Community College (about $1,331 more per year; $9,551.00 vs. $8,220.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at North Iowa Area Community College than at Kirkwood Community College (86% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by North Iowa Area Community College students is 7.8% larger than aid received by Kirkwood Community College students ($7,017 vs. $6,511).

Kirkwood Community College vs. North Iowa Area Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kirkwood Community College or North Iowa Area 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 North Iowa Area Community College and Kirkwood Community College.

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

Kirkwood Community College vs. North Iowa Area Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kirkwood Community College and North Iowa Area 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 $1,900 more per year than North Iowa Area Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $34,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have a $3,485 lower median loan debt than Kirkwood Community College graduates ($8,515 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Kirkwood Community College graduates ($88 vs. $124).
• More North Iowa Area Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kirkwood Community College students, three years after graduation. (46% 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.