Kirkwood Community College vs. SWCC

Comparable Facts

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

Kirkwood Community College is larger than SWCC based on total student enrollment (12,763 students vs. 1,566 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Kirkwood Community College is located in Cedar Rapids, IA (Rural Fringe setting); Southwestern Community College is in Creston, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Kirkwood 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: Kirkwood Community College 20:1; Southwestern Community College 14:1.

Kirkwood Community College vs. SWCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College than SWCC ($8,936 vs. $9,410).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Community College are 2% lower than at Kirkwood Community College ($8,910 vs. $9,090).
• Southwestern Community College is 30.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kirkwood Community College (about $1,888 more per year; $8,064.00 vs. $6,176.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.2% higher at SWCC than at Kirkwood Community College (about $96 more per year; $8,316.00 vs. $8,220.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southwestern Community College than at Kirkwood Community College (79% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 9% larger than aid received by Kirkwood Community College students ($7,099 vs. $6,511).

Kirkwood Community College vs. SWCC Admissions comparison

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

Kirkwood Community College vs. SWCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than SWCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $33,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern Community College and Kirkwood Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Southwestern Community College and Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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.