NIACC vs Northeast Iowa Community College: Softball Program Comparison

Two JUCO programs in the ICCAC. Northeast Iowa Community College lists $1,775 less in out-of-state tuition; NIACC graduates 7 points more of its students.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean NIACC if…

  • Finishing the degree is the priority: NIACC graduates 7 percentage points more of its students than Northeast Iowa Community College.
  • You are weighing the degree as an investment: NIACC graduates earn about $2,156 more per year a decade after enrolling.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at NIACC is $2,500 lower than at Northeast Iowa Community College.

Lean Northeast Iowa Community College if…

  • On the figures we hold, Northeast Iowa Community College does not lead NIACC on any measure above. If you are choosing between them, the deciding factors are the ones no table holds: how the staff talks to you, where you would sit on the depth chart, and whether you would want to be there without softball.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: NIACC compared with Northeast Iowa Community College
MeasureNIACCNortheast Iowa Community College
In-state tuition & fees$6,436$6,600
Out-of-state tuition & fees$9,245$7,470 Northeast Iowa Community College leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board$7,488
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$13,924
Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$16,733

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: NIACC compared with Northeast Iowa Community College
MeasureNIACCNortheast Iowa Community College
Graduation rate55% NIACC leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree48%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$43,462/yr NIACC leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out$41,306/yr
Median debt at graduation$9,500 NIACC leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door$12,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.22% NIACC leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn29%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: NIACC compared with Northeast Iowa Community College
MeasureNIACCNortheast Iowa Community College
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.2,4714,378
Where it isMason City, IACalmar, IA

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: NIACC compared with Northeast Iowa Community College
MeasureNIACCNortheast Iowa Community College
Head coachMatt EggerNick Weinmeister

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

How JUCO softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

NIACC

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Northeast Iowa Community College

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

NIACC vs Northeast Iowa Community College: common questions

Which school graduates more of its students, NIACC or Northeast Iowa Community College?
NIACC, at 55% against 48% at Northeast Iowa Community College (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do NIACC and Northeast Iowa Community College offer softball scholarships?
Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for NIACC and Northeast Iowa Community College accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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