Best Community Colleges in Iowa

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges comprise three schools located in Clinton, Muscatine, and Bettendorf. Together, these colleges enroll over 8,000 students in transferable associate and career credit programs. EICC maintains formal articulation agreements with 22 universities in and around Iowa. Students can earn associate credentials in fields like business management, agriculture, and language interpretation. They may also enroll in an RN-to-BSN track. In addition to campus-based learning, students can pursue distance education facilitated by the Canvas platform.

These community colleges in Iowa support working professionals by offering flexible degree plans that combine evening classes with online coursework. Through this hybrid format, students can earn an associate of arts or an associate of applied science. EICC delivers 33 career training programs, with options in human services, construction, and information technology. Candidates can also earn certificates for culinary arts and hospitality management.

For working professionals, EICC facilitates career advancement through developmental training in topics such as workplace conflict resolution, business writing, and Six Sigma Green Belt.

Based in Mason City, North Iowa Area Community College was founded in 1918 and is the oldest community college in Iowa. The school is nationally ranked for its accessible and career-relevant certificates and associate degrees.

Applicants submit a free online application and furnish official academic transcripts. While NIACC does not maintain SAT/ACT standards for enrollment, students do need to meet minimums to access the President's Scholarship. Learners benefit from low tuition prices and a generous transfer policy that allows them to earn credit for career achievements, military training, volunteer positions, and even relevant personal experience.

NIACC delivers over 40 programs in six broad areas of study. For example, students can pursue agricultural education training, earning a generalist diploma or an associate degree in agriculture marketing and finance. The school also delivers business programs, including associate credentials for information assurance and security, sport management, and visual communication. For students interested in healthcare careers, NIACC provides programming in areas like radiologic technology, nursing, and physical fitness and wellness.

Southeastern Community College is located in West Burlington and supports over 2,500 students. In addition to academic transfer options and technical career training, SCC offers dual enrollment to high school juniors and seniors through its Jumpstart initiative. This program enables learners to complete general education classes. Alternatively, high school students can pursue specialized training in construction technology, welding, industrial maintenance, and automotive technology.

For students interested in associate-level academics, SCC delivers transferable credentials in criminal justice, the physical sciences, and business administration. The college also operates two nursing programs: a diploma track that prepares candidates to work as licensed practical nurses and an associate track for registered nursing.

SCC also stands out from other community colleges in Iowa by offering training in agronomy and row crop operations. This program combines traditional classes with hands-on field experience. Additional certificate options include medical scribe, animal science, and entrepreneurship. SCC provides affordable tuition prices based on residency status and program type.

Northwest Iowa Community College serves four counties in the geographical center of the state. The school enrolls about 1,700 students in more than 40 academic and career training programs. As one of the best community colleges in Iowa, NCC boasts a high success rate, and nearly all graduates find gainful employment. The school offers low tuition rates, with marginal differences based on where a student resides. Financial aid is available through federal funding, state grants, and institutional scholarships.

NCC delivers transfer majors and pre-professional programs for students who intend to pursue advanced academics. Transfer majors include criminal justice and psychology, while pre-professional programs cover fields like accounting, early childhood development, and environmental science. Learners can also enroll in a pre-professional program for mortuary science. Additional programs consist of heavy equipment operations and maintenance, computer network security, and engineering design. NCC delivers online and hybrid programs in nursing and business management.

Headquartered in Creston, Southwestern Community College supports over 1,500 students through its academic transfer, technical certificate, and continuing education programs. SWCC provides accessible academics, offering more than 400 online and hybrid classes powered by Canvas. Learners can also earn associate degrees remotely, with options in accounting, business administration, and agricultural management. Additionally, the college offers flexible evening classes at three locations, allowing students to obtain an associate of arts by taking classes one or two nights per week.

SWCC's program catalog contains one-year diploma options in areas like auto collision repair and industrial technology. Students who want to pursue trade careers can also train in carpentry and building technology, preparing to work as contractors and business owners. Additional programming is available in the areas of advanced welding, office administration, and nursing education. Like other community colleges in Iowa, SWCC offers dual enrollment and continuing education opportunities. All students have access to affordable tuition and institutional scholarships.

Northeast Iowa Community College serves more than 4,500 students across its eight-county service area. The school offers diverse academic and technical programming at its main campus in Calmar, and students can pursue distance education by taking individual online classes or enrolling in remote certificate and diploma programs. NICC also facilitates fully online associate tracks in business, criminal justice, finance, and health information technology.

Students who want to engage with campus-based learning can enroll in certificate pathways for industrial sewing and building construction. They can also prepare for health sciences occupations like pharmacy technician, health support professional, and certified nurse aide. NICC is one of the few community colleges in Iowa to provide a construction management diploma, with an emphasis on lumber products and wholesale supply distribution.

Additional diploma options prepare individuals to work as dental assistants or commercial-residential electricians. In addition to affordable academics, NICC supports students by providing tutoring and career services. The school also offers daycare through its childhood development center.

Chartered in 1966, Iowa Lakes Community College enrolls about 2,000 students in over 40 certificate, diploma, and associate programs. The school offers flexible evening classes, distance education options, and adult education and literacy programs. Through its Career Connect initiative, Iowa Lakes delivers dual-enrollment courses for public and private high school students. These classes center on technical and trade skills related to wind energy, aviation management, and HVAC.

For learners who want to complete their education at a partnering university, Iowa Lakes offers transfer options in areas like animal science, arts management, biology, and computer science. Candidates can also pursue a pre-law track.

Iowa Lakes also sets itself apart from other community colleges in Iowa by delivering bachelor's completion tracks, where students may complete upper-level baccalaureate classes at any Iowa Lakes campus.

The school bases its low tuition prices on residency status. Iowa Lakes provides private scholarships to over 80% of its students, with additional opportunities for government assistance.

As part of the Iowa Valley Community College District, Marshalltown Community College bolsters the economic vitality of surrounding areas by providing over 80 affordable academic transfer and career training opportunities. MCC supports approximately 2,000 students, delivering low tuition prices and hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual scholarships. The college also facilitates veterans benefits and grants transfer credit through prior learning assessments.

MCC offers programs in six areas, including humanities, health occupations, and social sciences. Students who want to train in the skilled trades can pick from options like welding, culinary arts, and gunsmith technology. They can also earn a diploma or associate degree in automotive repair technology; these graduates are qualified to earn professional certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence.

Learners who want to work in business may enroll in administrative, accounting, and marketing programs. MCC also provides an interdisciplinary track for e-commerce and web page development. Undecided students can opt for the liberal arts associate program, which offers a direct path to baccalaureate transfer. Like many other community colleges in Iowa, MCC provides distance education through Blackboard.

Indian Hills Community College is located in Ottumwa and enrolls about 4,000 students each semester. Committed to the cultural and economic prosperity of the local community, IHCC offers campus-based and distance education programming. The school features over 250 online classes in general education topics, health information technology, and medical/insurance coding. Learners can also complete classes from IHCC's Aviation Ground School entirely online before undergoing practical training.

IHCC focuses its associate programs on three broad areas: advanced technologies, arts and sciences, and health sciences. Health sciences options include degree tracks for occupational therapy, respiratory care, and nutrition. Students can also enroll in an associate program in health information technology that boasts a 100% graduation rate and an 89% job placement rate.

Additional associate programs include public relations, athletic coaching, and geospatial technology. IHCC also offers a two-year track in cybersecurity administration, which enables candidates to access some of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States.

As one of the largest community colleges in Iowa, Des Moines Area Community College supports over 23,000 students every year. Prospective learners enjoy an easy application process, in which they submit a free online application and complete an academic assessment. In addition to overseeing transfer programs with partnering universities, DMACC facilitates reverse crediting; students who earned community college credits before attending a four-year institution can transfer back to DMACC to complete their associate credentials at little cost.

Learners can pick from 200 certificate, diploma, and associate programs in 12 areas of interest. Options include watershed technology, civil engineering, crime scene investigation, and hospitality business. DMACC also provides a horticulture program, with concentrations in plant reproduction, greenhouse production, and arboriculture. Additionally, the college operates a liberal arts transfer track for undecided students.

Iowa residents and online students benefit from the lowest tuition rates. Students can apply for state grants, work-study positions, and over 350 institutional scholarships.