Southwestern Community College ranks among Iowa’s least affordable public colleges for in-state students in 2024

Tuition and fees for in-state students at Southwestern Community College amounted to $8,064 in 2024, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.

This places the college as the fourth most expensive public institution in Iowa for the year 2024.

The in-state tuition and fees increased by $1,040 compared to the previous year.

Out-of-state students paid $8,316 in 2024, reflecting a $1,068 increase from the prior year.

In the 2023-24 school year, graduate and undergraduate students received more than $256 billion in financial aid.

The average cost of college has more than doubled in the 21st century, growing by approximately 4% every year. In-state students can expect to spend nearly $10,000 on tuition alone per year at a public, 4-year post-secondary school. Meanwhile, out-of-state tuition averages $28,386.

Student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging nearly $29,000 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.