Head-to-head comparison
Iowa Lakes Community College vs Ellsworth Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Estherville, IA
Iowa Lakes Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,933
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,108
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Iowa Falls, IA
Ellsworth Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,451
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,562
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Iowa Lakes Community College comes closer — median earnings $43,108 against a $27,866 total, vs $40,562 at Ellsworth Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Iowa Lakes Community College | Ellsworth Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,933 | $11,451 |
| Total net cost | $27,866 | $22,902 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,108 | $40,562 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $10,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$132,906 | -$178,862 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Iowa Lakes Community College or Ellsworth Community College?
Ellsworth Community College, at $11,451 a year after aid versus $13,933 — a gap of $2,482 a year, or $4,964 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Iowa Lakes Community College or Ellsworth Community College graduates earn more?
Iowa Lakes Community College graduates report a median $43,108 ten years after entry, $2,546 more than the $40,562 at Ellsworth Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Iowa Lakes Community College or Ellsworth Community College?
Ellsworth Community College: its completers carry a median $10,000 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Iowa Lakes Community College, a difference of $2,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
50% of students finish at Iowa Lakes Community College, against 38% at Ellsworth Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.