Iowa Lakes Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Iowa Lakes Community College charges a net price of $13,933/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,866. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,108, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Iowa Lakes Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #30 of 47 Iowa colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,933/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,866 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,108 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,252/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$132,906 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Iowa Lakes Community College's own numbers. Net price $13,933 × 2 years = $27,866 total. Median earnings $43,108 fall $5,252 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $27,866 bill in about 2.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Iowa Lakes Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $43,108 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Iowa Lakes Community College students graduate?
50% finish their degree — 50% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,866 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $55,732 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Iowa Lakes Community College expensive compared with other Iowa colleges?
Its $13,933 net price runs $4,656 below the $18,589 median across the 47 Iowa colleges we profile, and $9,312 less across the full degree.