SOWELA vs. Blue Cliff College-Alexandria

Comparable Facts

Compare SOWELA Technical Community College in Lake Charles, LA with Blue Cliff College Alexandria in Alexandria, LA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

SOWELA Technical Community College is larger than Blue Cliff College-Alexandria based on total student enrollment (3,446 students vs. 345 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• SOWELA Technical Community College is located in Lake Charles, LA (Small City setting); Blue Cliff College Alexandria is in Alexandria, LA (Small City setting).
• SOWELA Technical Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Blue Cliff College Alexandria is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: SOWELA Technical Community College 19:1; Blue Cliff College Alexandria 30:1.

SOWELA vs. Blue Cliff College-Alexandria Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SOWELA or Blue Cliff College-Alexandria? 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 SOWELA Technical Community College than Blue Cliff College-Alexandria ($8,814 vs. $16,253).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blue Cliff College Alexandria are 26.8% lower than at SOWELA Technical Community College ($8,642 vs. $11,802).
• Blue Cliff College Alexandria is 221.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SOWELA (about $9,540 more per year; $13,845.00 vs. $4,305.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 221.6% higher at Blue Cliff College-Alexandria than at SOWELA Technical Community College (about $9,540 more per year; $13,845.00 vs. $4,305.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at SOWELA Technical Community College than at Blue Cliff College Alexandria (86% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by SOWELA Technical Community College students is 114.4% larger than aid received by Blue Cliff College Alexandria students ($8,284 vs. $3,864).

SOWELA vs. Blue Cliff College-Alexandria Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SOWELA or Blue Cliff College-Alexandria? 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 Blue Cliff College-Alexandria and SOWELA.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: SOWELA - Open admission; Blue Cliff College-Alexandria - Open admission.

SOWELA vs. Blue Cliff College-Alexandria Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SOWELA and Blue Cliff College-Alexandria? 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).

• More SOWELA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blue Cliff College-Alexandria students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 20%)

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.