Iowa Western Community College Photo #8

Iowa Western Community College

2700 College Rd
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Top Ranked (2024-25): View Rankings
  • Iowa Western Community College is a learning community committed to excellence in meeting the educational needs and improving the quality of life through programs, partnerships and community involvement.

School Highlights

Iowa Western Community College serves 5,684 students (43% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 11:1 is lower than the state community college average of 12:1.
Minority enrollment is 100% of the student body (majority Black and Asian), which is less than the state average of 97%.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 5,684 students
  • In-state tuition: $4,560
  • Out-state tuition: $4,710
  • Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
  • Minority enrollment: 100%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Iowa Western Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Iowa for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 519 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Iowa Western Community College
(IA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or nondegree-granting)
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Private not-for-profit
Total Faculty
519 staff
274 staff
This chart displays total faculty of Iowa Western Community College and community college average number of faculty in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Iowa Western Community College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 has decreased from 12:1 over five years.
The Iowa Western Community College diversity score of 0.42 is less than the state average of 0.50. The school's diversity has declined by 9% over five years.
Total Enrollment
5,684 students
1,302 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of Iowa Western Community College and community college average number of enrollment of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
12:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of Iowa Western Community College and community college average student staff ratio of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
2,427 students
148 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Iowa Western Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
3,257 students
1,154 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Iowa Western Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Iowa Western Community College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Iowa.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
414 students
210 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
2,427 students
148 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Iowa Western Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
29 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
3,257 students
1,216 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
403 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
1,248 students
400 students
This chart displays the dormitory capacity of Iowa Western Community College and the community college average dormitory capacity of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% American Indian/Alaskan
2%
3%
This chart displays the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Asian
9%
7%
This chart displays the percentage of Asian students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hispanic
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
% Black
9%
8%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
n/a
3%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of White community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hawaiian
75%
69%
This chart displays the percentage of Hawaiian students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Two or more races
2%
9%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
n/a
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Non Resident students in Iowa Western Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in Iowa by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
3%
1%
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Iowa Western Community College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Iowa.
Diversity Score
0.42
0.50
This chart displays the diversity score of Iowa Western Community College and the community college average diversity score of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
0.2915%
0.5%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Iowa Western Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.3116%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$34,700
$33,600
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Iowa Western Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Iowa by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $4,560 is more than the state average of $4,331. The in-state tuition has declined by 23% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $4,710 is less than the state average of $4,920. The out-state tuition has declined by 22% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$4,560
$4,331
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Iowa Western Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$4,710
$4,920
This chart displays tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Iowa Western Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
89%
93%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Iowa Western Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$11,456
$11,250
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Iowa Western Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Iowa Western Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Iowa by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
72%
ACT Composite
n/a
22
ACT English
n/a
22
ACT Math
n/a
21

Sports

Total Sports Offered
11 sports
Sports
Bowling, Cheering, Cross Country, Dance, Football, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field, Volleyball, Wrestling

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
4 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Arts and Music Programs:
Band, Choir, Theater

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Intramural Sports
Source: 2023 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Clarinda Junior College, which was established in 1923 and had a long history of providing a two-year liberal arts education in Southwest Iowa, was selected to serve as one campus, and a new campus was located in Council Bluffs. The College expanded into other parts of the district with the establishment of centers in Atlantic (Cass County Center), Harlan (Shelby County Center), and Shenandoah (Page/Fremont County Center). On January 23, 1967, two vocational-technical programs were started using facilities in Council Bluffs. A major development was the addition of a liberal arts curriculum at the Council Bluffs Campus in the fall of 1968. Currently the College offers 84 different vocational/technical programs and Arts and Sciences/Transfer majors. Fall 2003 enrollment was 4,205 students. In addition, there are over 42,795 enrollments in continuing education classes each year. Iowa Western has been a vital part of the development of southwest Iowa for the past 32 years. From providing students with the necessary resources to start on a bachelor's degree; offering services to employers to increase economic development; providing continuing education courses; and offering numerous two-year degrees in technical areas, Iowa Western continues to set the standard for colleges throughout the area.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Iowa Western Community College cost?
Iowa Western Community College's tuition is approximately $4,560 for In-State students and $4,710 for Out-State students.
What sports does Iowa Western Community College offer?
Iowa Western Community College offers 11 interscholastic sports: Bowling, Cheering, Cross Country, Dance, Football, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Track and Field, Volleyball and Wrestling.
What is Iowa Western Community College's ranking?
Iowa Western Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Iowa for: Average community college minority breakdown and Largest student body.

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Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 5,684 students
  • In-state tuition: $4,560
  • Out-state tuition: $4,710
  • Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
  • Minority enrollment: 100%
  • 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 0.50, which is lower than the national average of 0.75. The most diverse community college in Iowa is Purdue University Global-Des Moines. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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