Western Iowa Tech Community College
#2 Most Affordable Colleges in Iowa- Graduation Rate
- 44% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $40,473 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $8,770 B+
- 49% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 2,647
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 26.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $26.8 over 20 years. Ranked #2 in Most Affordable Colleges in Iowa.
Every $1 spent returns $26.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $903,908.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Graduation of 44% — 22% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $26.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Western Iowa Tech Community College Matters
Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public college in Sioux City, 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 College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 2,647
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Mechanic & Repair Tech, Business & Marketing, Education
Why students choose Western Iowa Tech Community College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $8,770 a year after grants and scholarships — 49% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $40,473 ten years after enrolling — 1% below the typical college, against $11,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.9% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 80% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.28 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Students at Western Iowa Tech Community College can expect an average earnings boost of $40,473 ten years after graduation. This figure highlights the potential for a solid return on investment in education, particularly for students pursuing in-demand fields like health professions and mechanic and repair technology.
Data from Opportunity Insights shows limited details on mobility and economic connectedness for students. However, with a graduation rate of 44%, it suggests that while some students find success, there may be challenges for others in completing their programs and advancing economically. The figures indicate that the college plays a critical role in supporting local workforce needs.
The net price for attending Western Iowa Tech is $8,770, making it accessible for many students. Graduates typically leave with a median debt of $11,000, a manageable figure compared to potential earnings. Students who thrive here are often those focused on practical careers, particularly in health-related fields or technical trades, where job demand remains strong.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Western Iowa Tech Community College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Western Iowa Tech Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Sioux City, Iowa, Western Iowa Tech Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.
- Retention Rate
- 64%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 23%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $6,975
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 13:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.72
- First-Gen Students
- 45%
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 Western Iowa Tech Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Western Iowa Tech Community College is $5,330, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,770. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,662 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $5,186
- Out-of-State
- $5,330
- Avg Net Price
- $8,770
- Median Debt
- $11,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 17%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $7,662
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $7,636
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,887
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,955
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Western Iowa Tech Community College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Western Iowa Tech Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Western Iowa Tech Community College report median earnings of $40,473, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,639
- 8 Years
- $37,504
- 10 Years
- $40,473
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.27x
- Earning > $25K
- 53%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (192)
- 33%
- 100% (192)
- 33%
- 100% (192)
- 33%
- 100% (192)
- 33%
How Western Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Western Iowa Tech Community College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Western Iowa Tech Community College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $8,770/year ($35,080 total). Graduates earn $40,473 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $938,988 in total earnings — a net gain of $903,908 (26.8× your investment). The median debt is $11,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 44% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $35,080
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $938,988
- Net Return
- $903,908
- ROI Multiple
- 26.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $8,770
- Median Debt
- $11,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 44%
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 Western Iowa Tech Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Western Iowa Tech 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 0.95%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $62,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 0.95%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 8.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 11.2%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $85,051
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $3,275,205
- Investment Income
- $147,878
Top Programs
The fields Western Iowa Tech Community College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Health Professions 48% $59,869 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 7% $41,024 early-career
- Business & Marketing 6% $45,495 early-career
- Education 6%
- Humanities 5%
- Criminal Justice 5% $40,073 early-career
- Construction Trades 4% $34,410 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Western Iowa Tech Community College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Western Iowa Tech Community College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Sioux City, Iowa, Western Iowa Tech Community College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 44%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Western Iowa Tech Community College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Western Iowa Tech Community College is $5,330, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $8,770. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,662 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.
Is Western Iowa Tech Community College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Western Iowa Tech Community College report median earnings of $40,473, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does Western Iowa Tech Community College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Western Iowa Tech 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 0.95%, in line with strong performers nationally. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 11.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 8.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $62,600, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Western Iowa Tech 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 Western Iowa Tech Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.28, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Western Iowa Tech Community College.
- Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and TechnologyWichita, KS · Close peer39% grad $38,679 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Davidson-Davie Community CollegeThomasville, NC · Close peer44% grad $36,337 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Coalinga CollegeCoalinga, CA · Close peer43% grad $37,633 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Central Community CollegeGrand Island, NE · Close peer46% grad $39,429 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- Blackhawk Technical CollegeJanesville, WI · Close peer32% grad $41,620 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Black Hawk CollegeMoline, IL · Close peer41% grad $37,253 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Western Iowa Tech 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 Western Iowa Tech Community College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.28, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note