North Iowa Area Community College vs. SWCC

Comparable Facts

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

North Iowa Area Community College is larger than SWCC based on total student enrollment (2,662 students vs. 1,566 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• North Iowa Area Community College is located in Mason City, IA (Remote Town setting); Southwestern Community College is in Creston, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• North Iowa Area 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: North Iowa Area Community College 23:1; Southwestern Community College 14:1.

North Iowa Area Community College vs. SWCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Iowa Area 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 Southwestern Community College than North Iowa Area Community College ($9,410 vs. $9,852).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Iowa Area Community College are 10.2% lower than at Southwestern Community College ($8,000 vs. $8,910).
• Southwestern Community College is 21.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than North Iowa Area Community College (about $1,411 more per year; $8,064.00 vs. $6,653.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.9% higher at North Iowa Area Community College than at Southwestern Community College (about $1,235 more per year; $9,551.00 vs. $8,316.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at North Iowa Area Community College than at Southwestern Community College (86% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern Community College students is 1.2% larger than aid received by North Iowa Area Community College students ($7,099 vs. $7,017).

North Iowa Area Community College vs. SWCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, North Iowa Area 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 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; SWCC - Open admission.

North Iowa Area Community College vs. SWCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for North Iowa Area 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 North Iowa Area Community College earn a median of about $1,100 more per year than SWCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,700 vs. $33,600), 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 SWCC 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 SWCC graduates ($88 vs. $124).
• More North Iowa Area Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWCC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 45%)

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.