SOWELA Technical Community College
- The mission of SOWELA Technical Community College is to provide a lifelong learning and teaching environment designed to afford every student an equal opportunity to develop to his/her full potential. SOWELA Technical Community College is a public, comprehensive technical community college offering programs including associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates as well as noncredit courses. The college is committed to accessible and affordable quality education, relevant training, and retraining by providing post-secondary academic and technical education to meet the educational advancement and workforce development needs of the community.
School Highlights
SOWELA Technical Community College serves 4,058 students (47% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 17:1 is lower than the state community college average of 18:1.
Minority enrollment is 43% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 61%.
Quick Stats (2022-23)
- Enrollment: 4,058 students
- In-state tuition: $3,662
- Out-state tuition: $6,590
- Student:teacher ratio: 17:1
- Minority enrollment: 43%
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
SOWELA Technical Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Louisiana for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Student Earnings
Debt For Students
School Overview
The teacher population of 234 teachers has grown by 58% over five years.
SOWELA Technical Community College
(LA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Special Focus Two-Year: Technical Professions
Associate's--Public Urban-serving Multicampus
Institution Level
Less than 2 yrs
At least 2 years but < 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
234 staff
37 staff
School Calendar
Student Body
The student population of SOWELA Technical Community College has grown by 18% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 17:1 has decreased from 33:1 over five years.
The SOWELA Technical Community College diversity score of 0.61 is less than the state average of 0.69. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
4,058 students
686 students
Student : Teacher Ratio
17:1
18:1
# Full-Time Students
1,887 students
291 students
# Part-Time Students
2,171 students
395 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
217 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
4%
5%
% Black
22%
38%
% White
57%
39%
% Hawaiian
1%
1%
% Two or more races
3%
3%
% Non Resident races
1%
1%
% Unknown races
10%
11%
Diversity Score
0.61
0.69
College Completion Rate
43%
38%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$35,800
$31,100
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
The public in-state tuition of $3,662 is less than the state average of $4,056. The in-state tuition has declined by 12% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,590 is less than the state average of $6,925. The out-state tuition has declined by 13% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$3,662
$4,056
Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,590
$6,925
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
88%
92%
Median Debt for Graduates
$3,750
$9,994
Median Debt for Dropouts
$3,500
$5,500
Acceptance Rate
n/a
79%
ACT Composite
n/a
21
ACT English
n/a
21
ACT Math
n/a
20
Extracurriculars
Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
10 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Be the Match, Criminal Justice Club, Fishing Club, Graphic Arts Club, Louisiana Restaurant Association Student Chapter, National Technical Honor Society, Phi Beta Lambda, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, SkillsUSA, Student Government Association
Be the Match, Criminal Justice Club, Fishing Club, Graphic Arts Club, Louisiana Restaurant Association Student Chapter, National Technical Honor Society, Phi Beta Lambda, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, SkillsUSA, Student Government Association
Source: 2020 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators
School Notes
- SOWELA Technical Community College was created in 1938 by the Louisiana Legislature as The Southwest Louisiana Trades School of Lake Charles, Louisiana. While it has had a variety of names over the past, its mission has always been the same: to provide opportunities for people to qualify for jobs which will lead to meaningful and productive careers. If you wish to earn a degree or diploma in a program of study, or if you only want to take a few classes to learn a specific skill or to upgrade existing skills, SOWELA is here to assist you. If you want to enrich your life by learning something that you've always wanted to know to specialize in a particular kind of culinary art, for example we can help you do that. SOWELA's small class sizes, affordable tuition, highly qualified faculty, convenient class times, beautiful campus, and a wide variety of student services combine to make it the right choice for many people. At SOWELA, you will see state-of-the-art curricula, facilities and equipment. Our campus is conveniently located to most regions of Southwest Louisiana, and our online courses can help you juggle the busy lifestyles of today.
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