Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Sheldon, Iowa. It enrolls 864 students (a small, tight-knit 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
64/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes66
Value47
Affordability21
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Northwest Iowa 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 Northwest Iowa 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 $14,800 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$14,800
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
16%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
13%
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)
$7,350
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,650
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,310
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,604
Books & Supplies
$1,312
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,980
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,430
Total Cost of Attendance
$20,414
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
$10,368
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,253
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,263
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,573
Over $110,000
$19,325
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
$3,50225%percentile
$9,500Medianpercentile
$11,91875%percentile
$16,86290%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 $8,000
↓ $1,500
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Independent students $9,500
—
Female students $8,063
↓ $1,437
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
57% of full-time students who enrolled at Northwest Iowa Community College graduate within six years, and 71% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
57%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
71%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Northwest Iowa Community College earn a median of $50,776 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$50,776
Earning > $25K
79%
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
$31,900
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$58,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$40,200
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$45,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$59,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $26,700, about 46% 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 ↑
13.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 91% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Northwest Iowa Community College is home to 864 students, a small, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 35% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
864
Part-Time
30%
First-Generation
35%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 72.9%630
Hispanic 15.4%133
Black 4.8%41
Other 3.0%26
Asian 1.5%13
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Northwest Iowa Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteSheldon, Iowa
Housing
Partly residential178 beds available
Adult Learners
15%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Northwest Iowa Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
30 distinct programs across
10 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 Northwest Iowa Community College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,274
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$5.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,525
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
32 instructional faculty across 1 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
No Rank
32
100%
$56,525
Pros & Cons of Northwest Iowa Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Northwest Iowa Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Tight-knit, close community feel
Solid post-graduation earnings
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Modest first-year retention
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Northwest Iowa Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Northwest Iowa Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Northwest Iowa Community College.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College hard to get into?
Northwest Iowa Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Northwest Iowa Community College?
Northwest Iowa Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Northwest Iowa Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Northwest Iowa Community College is $14,800 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $50,776 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $14,800 per year. That's roughly 3.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Northwest Iowa Community College known for?
Northwest Iowa Community College is best known for its programs in Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Northwest Iowa Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Northwest Iowa Community College are $50,776, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College accredited?
Yes. Northwest Iowa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Northwest Iowa Community College?
Northwest Iowa Community College enrolls 864 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest Iowa Community College?
Northwest Iowa Community College graduates 57% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College a public or private college?
Northwest Iowa Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Northwest Iowa Community College located?
Northwest Iowa Community College is located in Sheldon, Iowa.
What programs does Northwest Iowa Community College offer?
Northwest Iowa Community College offers 30 distinct programs. The most popular include Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Liberal Arts, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Northwest Iowa Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Northwest Iowa Community College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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