North Iowa Area Community College vs. NICC

Comparable Facts

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

Northeast Iowa Community College is larger than North Iowa Area Community College based on total student enrollment (4,808 students vs. 2,662 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• North Iowa Area Community College is located in Mason City, IA (Remote Town setting); Northeast Iowa Community College is in Calmar, IA (Distant Rural setting).
• North Iowa Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northeast Iowa Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: North Iowa Area Community College 23:1; Northeast Iowa Community College 15:1.

North Iowa Area Community College vs. NICC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Iowa Area Community College or NICC? 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 North Iowa Area Community College than NICC ($9,852 vs. $10,915).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Iowa Area Community College are 14% lower than at Northeast Iowa Community College ($8,000 vs. $9,300).
• Northeast Iowa Community College is 1.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than North Iowa Area Community College (about $127 more per year; $6,780.00 vs. $6,653.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.9% higher at North Iowa Area Community College than at Northeast Iowa Community College (about $1,781 more per year; $9,551.00 vs. $7,770.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at North Iowa Area Community College than at Northeast Iowa Community College (86% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by North Iowa Area Community College students is 14.5% larger than aid received by Northeast Iowa Community College students ($7,017 vs. $6,129).

North Iowa Area Community College vs. NICC Admissions comparison

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

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

North Iowa Area Community College vs. NICC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for North Iowa Area Community College and NICC? 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 North Iowa Area Community College earn a median of about $800 more per year than NICC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,700 vs. $33,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have a $3,299 lower median loan debt than NICC graduates ($8,515 vs. $11,814).
• Among borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NICC graduates ($88 vs. $122).
• More NICC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Iowa Area Community College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 46%)

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.