Iowa Lakes Community College

  • Mission of the college is to provide opportunities for quality lifelong learning and promote economic development for our communities.

School Highlights

Iowa Lakes Community College serves 2,288 students (37% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 9:1 is lower than the state community college average of 12:1.
Minority enrollment is 19% of the student body (majority Hispanic and Black), which is less than the state average of 26%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 2,288 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,516
  • Out-state tuition: $5,868
  • Student:teacher ratio: 9:1
  • Minority enrollment: 19%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Overview

The teacher population of 260 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Iowa Lakes Community College
(IA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
260 staff
274 staff
This chart display total faculty of Iowa Lakes Community College and community college average number of faculty in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Iowa Lakes Community College has grown by 12% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 9:1 has increased from 8:1 over five years.
The Iowa Lakes Community College diversity score of 0.32 is less than the state average of 0.44. The school's diversity has declined by 33% over five years.
Total Enrollment
2,288 students
2,501 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Iowa Lakes Community College and community college average number of enrollment of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
9:1
12:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Iowa Lakes Community College and community college average student staff ratio of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
844 students
1,099 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Iowa Lakes Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
1,444 students
1,402 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Iowa Lakes Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Iowa Lakes Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of IA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
141 students
210 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
844 students
1,099 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Iowa Lakes Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
45 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
1,444 students
1,396 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
457 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
507 students
411 students
This chart display the dormitory capacity of Iowa Lakes Community College and the community college average dormitory capacity of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
n/a
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Asian
1%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
5%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
4%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
81%
74%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of White community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
3%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
4%
7%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Iowa Lakes Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in IA.
Diversity Score
0.32
0.44
This chart display the diversity score of Iowa Lakes Community College and the community college average diversity score of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
46%
35%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Iowa Lakes Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.01%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$32,700
$33,600
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Iowa Lakes Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of IA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $5,516 is more than the state average of $4,331. The in-state tuition has declined by 11% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $5,868 is more than the state average of $4,920. The out-state tuition has declined by 10% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$5,516
$4,331
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Iowa Lakes Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$5,868
$4,920
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Iowa Lakes Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
91%
91%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Iowa Lakes Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$11,500
$11,250
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Iowa Lakes Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Iowa Lakes Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in IA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
59%
ACT Composite
n/a
22
ACT English
n/a
22
ACT Math
n/a
21
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • Iowa Lakes Community College is a public, comprehensive educational institution accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college was established in 1967 under provision of Chapters 260C and 260D, Code of Iowa. Over 73,000 people reside in this predominately rural five-county district encompassing approximately 2,900 square miles. Iowa Lakes Community College is a two-year college located in the rural northwest part of the state of Iowa in the Iowa Great Lakes region. Founded in 1967, Iowa Lakes provides affordable education to the residents of northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota. The communities served by Iowa Lakes are Emmetsburg, Estherville, Algona, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Okoboji. Currently, over 3,600 students are enrolled in the liberal arts, career option, and vocational-technical programs as well as other programs. In addition, Continuing Education helps to provide lifelong learning opportunities as well as workplace training. The College is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Iowa Lakes Community College cost?
Iowa Lakes Community College's tuition is approximately $5,516 for In-State students and $5,868 for Out-State students.

Recent Articles

Healthcare Careers Hub
Healthcare Careers Hub
Discover the opportunities in the healthcare field. Your community college offers the courses and training you need to fill a job in this field that always seems to have openings.
The Pros and Cons of On-Campus Housing for Community College
The Pros and Cons of On-Campus Housing for Community College
Can you really have an authentic college experience while living off-campus? This article explores the pros and cons of campus housing for community college students.
Community Colleges: A to Z
Community Colleges: A to Z
Explore the diverse landscape of community colleges with our comprehensive guide, 'Community CollegeS: A to Z.' From academic programs to student support services, this article provides a look at everything community colleges have to offer.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 2,288 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,516
  • Out-state tuition: $5,868
  • Student:teacher ratio: 9:1
  • Minority enrollment: 19%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Iowa public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $4,331 per year for in-state students and $4,920 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $17,086 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Iowa community colleges have a diversity score of 0.44, which is lower than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Iowa is Ross College-Quad Cities. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

Quick Links