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Northeast Iowa Community College

#5 Best Nursing Colleges in Iowa
Public Calmar, IA · Rural · Plains · 87% data
B Affordability B- Value C Earnings
50%
C-
Graduation Rate
About half of students who start complete their degree
$41,306
C
Earnings (10yr)
Roughly in line with national averages
$11,272
B
Net Price
34% less than the typical college
1,697
Enrollment
Earnings +1% vs avg
Graduation -13% vs avg
Net Price +-34% vs avg
Mobility Top 75%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 19.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.6 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Nursing Colleges in Iowa.

19.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $19.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $839,162.

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What The Data Says

1

A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

2

Every $1 invested returns $19.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Northeast Iowa Community College Matters

Northeast Iowa Community College is a public community college in Calmar, IA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Associate's College
Enrollment
1,697
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Mechanic & Repair Tech

Why students choose Northeast Iowa Community College

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 52% overall
C
Earnings
$41,306 median
B-
Value
3.7× net price
B
Affordability
$11,272/yr net
C-
Graduation
50% graduate
D
Social Mobility
1.0% climb Q1→Q5
D
Diversity
0.33 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Half of the students at Northeast Iowa Community College graduate within three years. This completion rate is a crucial factor for prospective students weighing their options. With a total enrollment of 1,697, the college cultivates a focused environment for academic pursuit.

Data from Opportunity Insights highlights the potential for upward mobility among graduates. While specific mobility metrics aren't available, the average earnings for alumni ten years after graduation stand at $41,306. This figure suggests that graduates can successfully transition into the workforce, particularly in fields like Health Professions and Mechanic & Repair Tech.

Affordability is another strong point. The net price for students is $11,272, with median debt at $12,000, making it accessible for many. A quarter of students receive Pell Grants, indicating support for low-income individuals. Those who thrive here are often those seeking practical skills and training for immediate employment in various trades and professions.

Rankings

1

Can I Get In?

How selective Northeast Iowa Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Northeast Iowa Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Calmar, Iowa, Northeast Iowa Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 50%.

Retention Rate 62%
Full-Time Faculty 41%
Faculty Salary (mo) $6,765
Student–Faculty Ratio 15:1
Diversity Index 0.33
First-Gen Students 37%
2

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Northeast Iowa Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

When weighing the true cost of attending Northeast Iowa Community College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $7,770 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $11,272 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,137 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $12,000.

$6,780
In-State Tuition
$7,770
Out-of-State
$11,272
Avg Net Price
$12,000
Median Debt
23%
Pell Grant Rate
15%
Federal Loan Rate

What Families Actually Pay

$9,137
Family Income $0–$30K
$8,176
Family Income $30K–$48K
$12,225
Family Income $48K–$75K
$16,353
Family Income $110K+
3

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is Northeast Iowa Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Northeast Iowa Community College report median earnings of $41,306; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

$38,805
6 Years After Entry
$41,687
8 Years
$41,306
10 Years
0.29x
Debt-to-Earnings
56%
Earning > $25K

Earnings Trajectory

$38,805 6yr $41,687 8yr $41,306 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

35%
100% (126)
35%
100% (126)
35%
100% (126)
35%
100% (126)

How Northeast Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation50%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$11KRetention62%Median Debt$12KPell Grant Rate23%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$9K$0-30K$8K$30-48K$12K$48-75K$16K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%9.4%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%10.7%MOBILITY1.01%

College ROI Calculator

Is Northeast Iowa Community College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Northeast Iowa Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,272/year ($45,088 total). Graduates earn $41,306 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $884,250 in total earnings — a net gain of $839,162 (19.6× your investment). The median debt is $12,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 50% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

$45,088
Total Cost (4yr)
$884,250
Projected 20yr Earnings
$839,162
Net Return
19.6×
ROI Multiple
$11,272
Cost Per Year
$12,000
Median Debt
Less than 1 yr
Debt Payback
50%
Graduation Rate
4

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Northeast Iowa Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Northeast Iowa Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.01%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 9.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,400, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

1.01%
Mobility Rate
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
10.7%
Success Rate
If bottom 20% get in
9.4%
From Bottom 20%
Share of students
$64,400
Parent Median Income

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Northeast Iowa Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Northeast Iowa Community College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.36 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

1.36
Economic Connectedness
Cross-class friendships
-0.00
Friending Bias
Lower = more inclusive
5.6%
Volunteering Rate
0.99
Support Ratio
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

$3,969,425
Endowment
Total Expenses
$4,508,972
Federal Grants
$151,425
Investment Income

Top Programs

The fields Northeast Iowa Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Northeast Iowa Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +

Based in Calmar, Iowa, Northeast Iowa Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 50%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Northeast Iowa Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +

When weighing the true cost of attending Northeast Iowa Community College, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $7,770 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $11,272 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,137 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $12,000.

Is Northeast Iowa Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +

Ten years out, alumni of Northeast Iowa Community College report median earnings of $41,306; prospective students should weigh that figure against the program's cost when calculating return on investment.

Does Northeast Iowa Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +

Northeast Iowa Community College is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 1.01%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 9.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 10.7% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $64,400, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Northeast Iowa Community College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +

Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Northeast Iowa Community College, with an economic connectedness score of 1.36 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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