Head-to-head comparison
Iowa Western Community College vs Ellsworth Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Council Bluffs, IA
Iowa Western Community College
- Net price / year
- $14,629
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,793
- 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 Western Community College comes closer — median earnings $42,793 against a $29,258 total, vs $40,562 at Ellsworth Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Iowa Western Community College | Ellsworth Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,629 | $11,451 |
| Total net cost | $29,258 | $22,902 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,793 | $40,562 |
| Median debt | $11,033 | $10,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$140,598 | -$178,862 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Iowa Western Community College or Ellsworth Community College?
Ellsworth Community College, at $11,451 a year after aid versus $14,629 — a gap of $3,178 a year, or $6,356 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 Western Community College or Ellsworth Community College graduates earn more?
Iowa Western Community College graduates report a median $42,793 ten years after entry, $2,231 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 Western Community College or Ellsworth Community College?
Ellsworth Community College: its completers carry a median $10,000 in federal loans versus $11,033 at Iowa Western Community College, a difference of $1,033. 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?
40% of students finish at Iowa Western 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.