Southwestern Michigan College Tuition & Completion (2026)
Southwestern Michigan College is a public community college in Dowagiac, Michigan, enrolling about 1,431 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $5,978 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $6,417. Student demographics in federal data include White (68.5%) and Black or African American (15.3%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $6,417
- 2024 Average Net Price: $5,978 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,431 67.3% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 37.66%
- Carnegie Classification: Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
- First-Generation Students: 41.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.5% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 23.4% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 32.1%
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,461
- Room & Board: $10,825 annual estimate
Southwestern Michigan College: what the data shows
Common questions about Southwestern Michigan College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Southwestern Michigan College?
Southwestern Michigan College is located in Dowagiac, MI (ZIP 49047-9793).
Is Southwestern Michigan College public or private?
Southwestern Michigan College is a Public institution.
How much does Southwestern Michigan College cost?
Published tuition: $6,417 in-state, $8,394 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $5,978.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $5,134 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $4,151 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $7,414 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $10,514 |
| $110,001+ | $11,413 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $25,668.
How big is Southwestern Michigan College?
Total enrollment: 1,431 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,461 students.
About 67% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Michigan College?
150%-time completion rate: 37.66%.
First-year retention: 57.0%.
What do graduates of Southwestern Michigan College earn?
Median earnings: $33,204 six years after entry; $37,303 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $10,959.
38.45% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Southwestern Michigan College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- General Studies (74 completions)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (38 completions)
- Welding Technology/Welder (22 completions)
- Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician (18 completions)
- Business/Commerce, General (18 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (16 completions)
- Elementary Education and Teaching (12 completions)
- Carpentry/Carpenter (11 completions)
- Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping (9 completions)
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (8 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Southwestern Michigan College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 37.66%; median earnings $37,303 at 10 years; net price $5,978. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$6,417
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Southwestern Michigan College was $6,417.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$5,978
2024 Value
In 2024 Southwestern Michigan College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $5,978.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$23,912 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$5,978 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$25,668 4-Year In-State Tuition
$33,576 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
$10,825 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,659 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$18,901 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$75,604 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Southwestern Michigan College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
38.45% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
16.23% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Southwestern Michigan College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Southwestern Michigan College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,689 | $6,068 | $9,070 |
| 2014 | $4,836 | $6,263 | $8,849 |
| 2015 | $4,921 | $6,370 | $7,531 |
| 2016 | $4,891 | $6,353 | $8,992 |
| 2017 | $5,025 | $6,525 | $9,095 |
| 2018 | $5,145 | $6,675 | $9,228 |
| 2019 | $5,380 | $6,999 | $8,468 |
| 2020 | $5,503 | $7,161 | $8,372 |
| 2021 | $5,556 | $7,229 | $8,889 |
| 2022 | $5,768 | $7,501 | $8,433 |
| 2023 | $6,026 | $7,850 | $6,463 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Southwestern Michigan College reported total enrollment of about 1,431 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 38% male and 62% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (68.5%), Black or African American (15.3%), and Two or More Races (7.4%). About 38.45% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 41.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
67.3% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Southwestern Michigan College in 2024 is 1,431 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,461 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
57.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 68.5%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
26.27% 100% Completion Time
37.66% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 26.27% of students graduating from Southwestern Michigan College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- General Studies: 28% male / 72% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 18% male / 82% female
- Welding Technology/Welder: 77% male / 23% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Southwestern Michigan College.
Return on Investment
$10,959 Median Student Debt
$37,303 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
29.38% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
1460.01% Return on Investment
2.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Southwestern Michigan College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 35 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. General Studies: 74 completions
2. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 38 completions
3. Welding Technology/Welder: 22 completions
4. Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician: 18 completions
5. Business/Commerce, General: 18 completions
6. Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 16 completions
7. Elementary Education and Teaching: 12 completions
8. Carpentry/Carpenter: 11 completions
9. Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping: 9 completions
Most popular programs at Southwestern Michigan College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Southwestern Michigan College graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Southwestern Michigan College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 32.1%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $7,880
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $7,411
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Southwestern Michigan College is a public institution located in Dowagiac, MI, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were General Studies, Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Welding Technology/Welder. Enrollment is approximately 1,431 students. Student body composition includes White (68.5%), Black or African American (15.3%), Two or More Races (7.4%). The 150%-time completion rate is 37.66%. Approximately 38.45% of students receive Pell Grants. About 41.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Public
Carnegie Classification: Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Location
Dowagiac, MI 49047-9793
Region: Great Lakes
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 37.66% graduation rate at Southwestern Michigan College falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Southwestern Michigan College located?
Southwestern Michigan College is located in Dowagiac, MI.
How much does Southwestern Michigan College cost?
Reported tuition is $6,417 and average net price is $5,978 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,825 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Southwestern Michigan College?
Southwestern Michigan College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,461 students, White (68.5%), Black or African American (15.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Southwestern Michigan College?
About 41.4% of students at Southwestern Michigan College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Southwestern Michigan College earn?
Median earnings are $33,204 six years after entry and $37,303 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Michigan College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 37.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Southwestern Michigan College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,959.
Is Southwestern Michigan College public or private?
Southwestern Michigan College is a public institution located in Dowagiac, MI.
Is Southwestern Michigan College an HBCU?
No. Southwestern Michigan College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Southwestern Michigan College a tribal college?
No. Southwestern Michigan College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Southwestern Michigan College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Southwestern Michigan College does not meet that proxy (reported share 1.2%).
Is Southwestern Michigan College religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Southwestern Michigan College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Michigan college costs
- Michigan colleges by ROI
- Michigan trade schools profile
- Great Lakes regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Michigan
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.