Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public community college in Sheldon, Iowa, enrolling about 864 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. In-state tuition starts near $7,350 per year before fees and aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $7,350
- 2024 Average Net Price: $14,800 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 864 69.9% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 57.89%
Northwest Iowa Community College: what the data shows
Common questions about Northwest Iowa Community College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Northwest Iowa Community College?
Northwest Iowa Community College is located in Sheldon, IA (ZIP 51201).
NCES locale classification: Town remote.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College public or private?
Northwest Iowa Community College is a Public institution.
How much does Northwest Iowa Community College cost?
Published tuition: $7,350 in-state, $7,650 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $14,800.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $10,368 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,253 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $13,263 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $16,573 |
| $110,001+ | $19,325 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $29,400.
How big is Northwest Iowa Community College?
Total enrollment: 864 students.
About 70% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest Iowa Community College?
150%-time completion rate: 57.89%.
First-year retention: 72.7%.
What do graduates of Northwest Iowa Community College earn?
Median earnings: $49,635 six years after entry; $50,776 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $9,500.
16.05% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Northwest Iowa Community College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (427 completions)
- CIP 460303 (67 completions)
- CIP 510904 (43 completions)
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research (39 completions)
- Medical Assistant (37 completions)
- CIP 520201 (34 completions)
- Liberal Arts & Sciences (32 completions)
- CIP 470105 (20 completions)
- Automobile Mechanics Technology (19 completions)
- CIP 470605 (13 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 57.89%; median earnings $50,776 at 10 years; net price $14,800. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$7,350
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Northwest Iowa Community College was $7,350.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$14,800
2024 Value
In 2024 Northwest Iowa Community College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,800.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$59,200 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$14,800 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$29,400 4-Year In-State Tuition
$30,600 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for Northwest Iowa Community College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
16.05% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
13.11% 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 Northwest Iowa Community 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 Northwest Iowa Community 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 | $5,370 | $5,850 | $11,508 |
| 2014 | $5,460 | $5,850 | $11,257 |
| 2015 | $5,550 | $5,850 | $12,615 |
| 2016 | $5,760 | $6,060 | $10,538 |
| 2017 | $5,910 | $6,210 | $11,862 |
| 2018 | $6,120 | $6,420 | $10,858 |
| 2019 | $6,240 | $6,540 | $12,125 |
| 2020 | $6,390 | $6,690 | $10,831 |
| 2021 | $6,540 | $6,840 | $11,076 |
| 2022 | $6,870 | $7,170 | $12,399 |
| 2023 | $7,110 | $7,410 | $12,357 |
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.
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
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
69.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Northwest Iowa Community College in 2024 is 864 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
72.7%
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.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
52.63% 100% Completion Time
57.89% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 52.63% of students graduating from Northwest Iowa Community College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Northwest Iowa Community College.
Return on Investment
$9,500 Median Student Debt
$50,776 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
18.71% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
757.70% Return on Investment
1.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Northwest Iowa Community College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
CIP 46.0303: 67 completions
CIP 51.0904: 43 completions
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, & Nursing Research: 39 completions
Medical Assistant: 37 completions
CIP 52.0201: 34 completions
Liberal Arts & Sciences: 32 completions
CIP 47.0105: 20 completions
Automobile Mechanics Technology: 19 completions
CIP 47.0605: 13 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 427 completions
Most popular programs at Northwest Iowa Community College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Northwest Iowa Community College graduates.
About
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution located in Sheldon, IA, offering 23 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 864 students. The institution maintains a 57.89% graduation rate. Approximately 16.05% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Public
Location
Sheldon, IA 51201
Region: Plains
Insights and Analysis
Northwest Iowa Community College provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
FAQ
How much does Northwest Iowa Community College cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $7,350 and average net price is $14,800 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What do graduates of Northwest Iowa Community College earn?
Median earnings are $49,635 six years after entry and $50,776 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest Iowa Community College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 57.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Northwest Iowa Community College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $9,500.
How big is Northwest Iowa Community College?
Total enrollment is about 864 students in the latest reporting year.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College public or private?
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution located in Sheldon, IA.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College an HBCU?
No. Northwest Iowa Community College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College a tribal college?
No. Northwest Iowa Community College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Northwest Iowa Community College does not meet that proxy (reported share 15.4%).
Is Northwest Iowa Community College religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Northwest Iowa Community 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
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.