SOWELA Technical Community College

3820 Senator J. Bennett Johnston Ave
Lake Charles, LA 70615
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • 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 3,068 students (48% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 13:1 is lower than the state community college average of 17:1.
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 55%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 3,068 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,662
  • Out-state tuition: $6,590
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 13:1
  • Minority enrollment: 37%
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

SOWELA Technical Community College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Louisiana for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 234 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
SOWELA Technical Community College
(LA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Special Focus Two-Year: Technical Professions
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
Less than 2 yrs
At least 2 yrs but < 4 yrs
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
234 staff
37 staff
This chart display total faculty of SOWELA Technical Community College and community college average number of faculty in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Number of Programs Offered
35
9

Student Body

The student population of SOWELA Technical Community College has declined by 24% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 13:1 has decreased from 17:1 over five years.
The SOWELA Technical Community College diversity score of 0.55 is less than the state average of 0.68. The school's diversity has declined by 10% over five years.
Total Enrollment
3,068 students
682 students
This chart display the total enrollment of SOWELA Technical Community College and community college average number of enrollment of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
17:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of SOWELA Technical Community College and community college average student staff ratio of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
1,470 students
287 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of SOWELA Technical Community College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
1,598 students
395 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of SOWELA Technical Community College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of SOWELA Technical Community College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of LA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
232 students
233 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
3,068 students
284 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of SOWELA Technical Community College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
18 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
2,171 students
1,093 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
1 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
217 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Asian
1%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Asian community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
4%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
23%
33%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Black community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
63%
45%
This chart display the percentage of White students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of White community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hawaiian
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of Hawaiian students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in LA 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 SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
3%
10%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in SOWELA Technical Community College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in LA.
Diversity Score
0.55
0.68
This chart display the diversity score of SOWELA Technical Community College and the community college average diversity score of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
45%
36%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of SOWELA Technical Community College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of LA 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
1.87%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$35,800
$31,100
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of SOWELA Technical Community College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of LA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2011-12 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $3,662 is more than the state average of $2,971. The in-state tuition has declined by 12% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,590 is more than the state average of $6,101. The out-state tuition has declined by 13% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$3,662
$2,971
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of SOWELA Technical Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,590
$6,101
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of SOWELA Technical Community College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
70%
94%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in SOWELA Technical Community College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in LA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$3,750
$9,994
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in SOWELA Technical Community College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in LA by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$3,500
$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in SOWELA Technical Community College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in LA by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
100%
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
Source: 2021 (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 campuses are conveniently located to most regions of Southwest Louisiana, and our online courses can help you juggle the busy lifestyles of today. Visit our website for more information about programs offered at our Lake Charles, Jennings, Oakdale, and Leesville campuses today!
Profile last updated: 08/08/2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does SOWELA Technical Community College cost?
SOWELA Technical Community College's tuition is approximately $3,662 for In-State students and $6,590 for Out-State students.
What is the acceptance rate of SOWELA Technical Community College?
The acceptance rate of SOWELA Technical Community College is 100%, which is higher than the state average of 79%.
What is SOWELA Technical Community College's ranking?
SOWELA Technical Community College ranks among the top 20% of community college in Louisiana for: Largest student body, Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation) and Least debt for graduating students.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 3,068 students
  • In-state tuition: $3,662
  • Out-state tuition: $6,590
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 13:1
  • Minority enrollment: 37%
  • Source: Verified school update

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