Enrollments for the 2022-2023 academic year are looking high for Northwest Iowa Community College. In the first two semesters of the academic year the College is on pace for a record enrollment year.
The Fall of 2022 was the largest fall class in the school’s history dating back to 1966. The 1,811 enrolled students represent about a 5.54% increase from Fall 2021 when the headcount was 1,716. The previous record was in the fall of 2019 when enrollments were 1,777 students.
The enrollments for Spring 2023 follow in a similar trajectory topping all previous enrollment numbers with a record setting 1,850. This represents a 3.64% increase over last year’s enrollments of 1,785.
NCC has multiple terms and start dates throughout the year, and so the Fall and Spring enrollment numbers are just two data points that NCC records throughout the year. Another strong indicator is the summer semester enrollments. Beth Sibenaller-Woodall, NCC Registrar, said, “Summer enrollments are looking strong, but there won’t be an accurate count until the official count day which is 10 days after the start of the semester. We are on-track for a record-breaking year.”
“By the end of our previous academic year, on August 6, 2022, NCC had taught 2,701 different students in its credit programs. We are excited to see what our year-end numbers will be this coming August,” said John Hartog, college president. “We care for each of our students, and we show our care with our affordable tuition rates and the services we offer to all of our students. Higher numbers mean more students are entering the workforce and transferring to four-year institutions with advanced standing credits.”
NCC has a proven track record of providing access, quality instruction, and success of our alumni in Northwest Iowa. NCC’s Graduation Rate is the best in Iowa and one of the best in the country at 60.3% (compared with a national graduation rate of 22% and the state average in Iowa of 39.1%). NCC students’ Success Rates are the best in the state at 67.8% (the state average is 49.7%), our combined credit and non-credit penetration rate is 3rd best in the state at 14.1%, and students’ federal loan default rates are the lowest in Iowa at 2.8% (Iowa Department of Education Profile Report, 2021).
What do these numbers mean? The numbers reflect our brand statement, Your Success is Our Story, and how every employee at NCC embraces a culture of success for our students. Students are choosing NCC because they have access to one of the best community colleges in the country, quality instruction, a culture of student success, and relevant programs that mean something to Northwest Iowans because they can find jobs after graduation.
Kristin Kollbaum, Director of Marketing & Communications, said, “We are very happy with the record spring enrollment number. Over the last ten years our enrollment numbers have been steadily increasing year-over-year, not counting a little hiccup at the start of the pandemic. This reflects NCC’s strong commitment to ensuring our programs are high quality, affordable, and accessible. We want our program offerings to align with the industry and learning needs of Northwest Iowans.”
NCC has been the recipient of several national recognitions over the past several months:
- Top 10 Community College in the Nation, Aspen Institute
- #2 in the Nation for Best Overall Community College, WalletHub.com
- #2 in the Nation for Career Outcomes, WalletHub.com
- Top 10 Associate-Granting Public Institutions in the US by Median Lifetime Return on Investment (ROI), Bipartisan Policy Center
- Top 10 Higher Education Institutions in Iowa by Median Lifetime Return on Investment (ROI), Bipartisan Policy Center
