Kirkwood Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It enrolls 7,591 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
66/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes54
Value58
Affordability37
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Kirkwood Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Kirkwood Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,705 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,705
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
24%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
21%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,176
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,220
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,090
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,606
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,579
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$6,967
$30,001 – $48,000
$7,084
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,514
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,106
Over $110,000
$14,091
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$13,50075%percentile
$24,01090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,470
↓ $3,530
No Pell $5,980
↓ $6,020
Dependent students $6,000
↓ $6,000
Independent students $10,479
↓ $1,521
Female students $8,000
↓ $4,000
Male students $7,000
↓ $5,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
25% of full-time students who enrolled at Kirkwood Community College graduate within six years, and 70% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
25%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Kirkwood Community College earn a median of $41,016 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,016
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$32,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$43,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,300, about 26% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
20.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 78% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Kirkwood Community College is home to 7,591 students, a large student community. Some distinctive traits: 39% are first-generation college students, 48% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
7,591
Part-Time
48%
First-Generation
39%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 64.4%4,889
Black 15.0%1,142
Hispanic 8.1%614
Other 4.3%328
International 2.8%209
Asian 1.7%130
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Kirkwood Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Midsize CityCedar Rapids, Iowa
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
16%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Kirkwood Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
67 distinct programs across
21 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kirkwood Community College is 20:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,885
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$40M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,250
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
229 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
83
36%
$78,777
Associate Professors
45
20%
$68,845
Assistant Professors
52
23%
$63,020
Instructors
48
21%
$59,770
No Rank
1
0%
$46,110
Pros & Cons of Kirkwood Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Kirkwood Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Kirkwood Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kirkwood Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Kirkwood Community College.
Is Kirkwood Community College hard to get into?
Kirkwood Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Kirkwood Community College?
Kirkwood Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Kirkwood Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Kirkwood Community College is $9,705 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Kirkwood Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $41,016 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,705 per year. That's roughly 4.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Kirkwood Community College known for?
Kirkwood Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Kirkwood Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Kirkwood Community College are $41,016, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Kirkwood Community College accredited?
Yes. Kirkwood Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Kirkwood Community College?
Kirkwood Community College enrolls 7,591 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Kirkwood Community College?
Kirkwood Community College graduates 25% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Kirkwood Community College a public or private college?
Kirkwood Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Kirkwood Community College located?
Kirkwood Community College is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
What programs does Kirkwood Community College offer?
Kirkwood Community College offers 67 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Kirkwood Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Kirkwood Community College is 20:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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