North Iowa Area Community College vs. Northwest Iowa Community College

Comparable Facts

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

North Iowa Area Community College is larger than Northwest Iowa Community College based on total student enrollment (2,662 students vs. 1,907 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• North Iowa Area Community College is located in Mason City, IA (Remote Town setting); Northwest Iowa Community College is in Sheldon, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• North Iowa Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Northwest Iowa Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: North Iowa Area Community College 23:1; Northwest Iowa Community College 16:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, North Iowa Area Community College or Northwest Iowa 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 North Iowa Area Community College than Northwest Iowa Community College ($9,852 vs. $14,691).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Iowa Area Community College are 14.1% lower than at Northwest Iowa Community College ($8,000 vs. $9,310).
• Northwest Iowa Community College is 10.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than North Iowa Area Community College (about $697 more per year; $7,350.00 vs. $6,653.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.8% higher at North Iowa Area Community College than at Northwest Iowa Community College (about $1,901 more per year; $9,551.00 vs. $7,650.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at North Iowa Area Community College than at Northwest Iowa Community College (86% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by North Iowa Area Community College students is 37.1% larger than aid received by Northwest Iowa Community College students ($7,017 vs. $5,118).

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

Which college is harder to get into, North Iowa Area Community College or Northwest Iowa 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 Iowa Community College 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; Northwest Iowa Community College - Open admission.

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

How do outcomes compare for North Iowa Area Community College and Northwest Iowa 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 Northwest Iowa Community College earn a median of about $8,100 more per year than North Iowa Area Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,800 vs. $34,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have a $1,485 lower median loan debt than Northwest Iowa Community College graduates ($8,515 vs. $10,000).
• Among borrowers, North Iowa Area Community College graduates have an estimated $15 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Northwest Iowa Community College graduates ($88 vs. $103).
• More Northwest Iowa Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Iowa Area Community College students, three years after graduation. (69% 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.