10-yr median earnings
$50,776
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Sheldon, Iowa
Northwest Iowa Community College
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution in Sheldon, Iowa. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $14,800
- Avg net price / yr
- $50,776
- 10-yr median earnings
- 56.5%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
Northwest Iowa Community College posts above-median former-student earnings.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 28%
- former-student earnings, US
- 56.5%
- 150%-time completion
- +2%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
Town: Remote
Carnegie: Associate's
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this Northwest Iowa Community College profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Nontraditional"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
B-
College Value Score
66/100
Northwest Iowa Community College
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings B
$50,776
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C
$14,800
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
56.5%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt B+
$9,500
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment A
82.5%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention N/A
N/A
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$14,800
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
56.5%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 56.5%
Less-than-four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - Northwest Iowa Community College vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How Northwest Iowa Community College ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
Northwest Iowa Community College: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$50,776 Top 28% higher than 72% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | Northwest Iowa Community College | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $50,776 | #1421 of 5103 | 72nd |
| Average net price | $14,800 | #2052 of 5020 | 59th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 56.5% | #2472 of 4858 | 49th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 864 | #2319 of 5462 | 58th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
864
Undergraduate enrollment
-
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
56.5%
150%-time completion
$50,776
10-yr median earnings
-
First-year retention
How Northwest Iowa Community College ranks in Iowa
State rank among 69 reporting Iowa colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | Northwest Iowa Community College | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $50,776 | #27 of 69 | 61st |
| Average net price | $14,800 | #24 of 68 | 65th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 56.5% | #36 of 63 | 43rd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 864 | #38 of 73 | 48th |
Highest former-student earnings in Iowa
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drake University | $71,901 | $29,127 |
| 2 | Allen College | $71,261 | - |
| 3 | University of Iowa | $64,762 | $22,531 |
| 4 | Iowa State University | $63,386 | $18,589 |
| 5 | Grinnell College | $62,830 | $17,648 |
| 6 | Mercy College of Health Sciences | $62,234 | $26,924 |
| 7 | St Luke's College | $61,033 | $19,820 |
| 8 | Mount Mercy University | $60,787 | $20,168 |
| 9 | Luther College | $59,850 | $23,097 |
| 10 | Saint Ambrose University | $59,531 | $24,691 |
| 11 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | $59,483 | - |
| 12 | Simpson College | $59,274 | $21,936 |
| 27 | Northwest Iowa Community CollegeThis school | $50,776 | $14,800 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at Northwest Iowa Community College
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k
$0 – $30k
$10,368 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k
$30k – $48k
$11,253 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$13,263 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$19,325 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Northwest Iowa Community College - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $7,350 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $7,650 |
| Average Net Price | $14,800 |
16.1%
Pell Grant Rate
13.1%
Federal Loan Rate
$9,500
Median Debt
$101/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at Northwest Iowa Community College swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $10,538 to $12,615 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +7.4%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$10,538
Highest year
$12,615
Most recent (2023)
$12,357
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $11,5082023 · $12,357
Over the same years, enrollment went +3.6% (826 → 856 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
50.0%
Female
35.4%
First Generation
Outcomes
$49,635
Median Earnings (6yr)
75.0%
Earning Over $25K
82.5%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 56.5% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $49,635 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $50,776 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 75.0% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 82.5% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $9,500 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $101/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's | 8 | 168 | $65,256 | $82,018 | $10,986 |
| Certificate | 3 | 87 | $74,080 | $96,897 | $8,250 |
Top programs at Northwest Iowa Community College by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Electrical and Power Trans…
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
$96,897 median earnings
- Electrical and Power Trans…
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
$82,018 median earnings
- Ground Transportation
Ground Transportation
$72,286 median earnings
- Electrical/Electronics Mai…
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
$66,319 median earnings
- Registered Nursing, Nursin…
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
$64,337 median earnings
- Practical Nursing, Vocatio…
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants
$63,862 median earnings
- Vehicle Maintenance and Re…
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
$61,907 median earnings
- Vehicle Maintenance and Re…
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
$61,481 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Certificate | 48 | $96,897 | $5,500 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | Associate's | 22 | $82,018 | - |
| Ground Transportation | Associate's | 3 | $72,286 | - |
| Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | 23 | $66,319 | $11,990 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's | 29 | $64,337 | $12,828 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 33 | $63,862 | $11,000 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | 27 | $61,907 | $11,326 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Certificate | 6 | $61,481 | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | 48 | $44,666 | $7,800 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | 7 | - | - |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | 9 | - | - |
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
River Valley Community College
Claremont, NH
$14,804 net price · $4 apart
Southern University at New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
$14,810 net price · $10 apart
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson
Dickson, TN
$14,780 net price · $20 apart
Navarro College
Corsicana, TX
$14,820 net price · $20 apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the admissions statistics for Northwest Iowa Community College? ▼
Northwest Iowa Community College is a public institution in Sheldon, Iowa. Undergraduate enrollment is 864 students.
How much do Northwest Iowa Community College former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at Northwest Iowa Community College who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $50,776 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $49,635.
How much does Northwest Iowa Community College cost? ▼
The average net price at Northwest Iowa Community College is $14,800. In-state tuition is $7,350 and out-of-state tuition is $7,650. Median student debt at graduation is $9,500.
What is the graduation rate at Northwest Iowa Community College? ▼
Northwest Iowa Community College has a 56.5% completion rate within 150% of normal program time at a less-than-four-year institution.
Is Northwest Iowa Community College worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at Northwest Iowa Community College is $9,500, while former students earn a median of $50,776 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 19% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 82.5% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $101.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from Northwest Iowa Community College
- Compare Northwest Iowa Community College against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in Iowa side by side.Browse Iowa
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.