Marshalltown, IApublicmcc.iavalley.edu
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Marshalltown Community College is an open-admission, two-year public college in central Iowa that operates on a simple, no-frills premise: provide accessible, practical education with minimal barriers to entry. Its identity is rooted in affordability, hands-on career training, and a supportive, small-town campus community that offers on-campus housing—a relative rarity for community colleges. While graduation rates are modest, the college serves as a critical launchpad for students seeking either direct entry into the workforce or a low-cost, low-stakes pathway to a four-year degree.
More details
Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Marshalltown Community College operates on an open admissions policy, meaning any student who completes the application steps is admitted. The is universally reported as 100%, reflecting its mission of accessibility. The process is straightforward: applicants must submit official transcripts from any previously attended colleges. The college is , with no SAT or ACT scores required for admission. There is no mention of Early Decision or Early Action programs, and given the open-admission nature, demonstrated interest is not a factor in the selection process.
The college offers 43 academic majors, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1. Its curriculum emphasizes practical, career-oriented training. The Iowa Valley Community College District highlights distinctive programs in Gunsmithing and Automotive Technology. The first-year retention rate is 72%, suggesting that a majority of students who start find the initial experience satisfactory enough to return for a second year.
MCC promotes a "supportive community" with a range of clubs and academic groups. A notable feature for a community college is its on-campus housing; the college offers "modern residence halls" and promotes the convenience of living steps away from classes. Campus life includes a "wide range of clubs" and student activities. While specific athletic programs aren't detailed in the provided sources, the district website mentions "competitive athletics" as part of the broader Iowa Valley experience.
Graduation rates vary by source: the federal College Scorecard reports a 33% graduation rate, while Niche reports 48% and another source cites a 6-year rate of 42%. These figures are around or slightly below the midpoint for two-year colleges (35%). The median earnings 10 years after entry are $41,010, as per the canonical figure. Other sources report earnings one year after graduation at $38,401 and five years after at $41,000+, indicating solid wage progression for graduates who enter the workforce directly.
The average after aid is $8,059, as per the canonical figure (other sources report an average net price of $6,024). The college provides a net price calculator for prospective students to estimate costs. The average financial aid package is $6,064, which can include grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study. The college actively assists students with the FAFSA process. There is no information in the provided sources indicating the college has a "no-loan" policy or that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; aid appears to be a mix of grants and loans based on eligibility.
Marshalltown CC distinguishes itself in the community college landscape through its combination of open-access philosophy and residential campus experience. Its 100% and policy remove traditional barriers, making it a true open-door institution. Yet, it goes beyond the commuter-school model by offering on-campus housing, fostering a more traditional collegiate community—a rarity among two-year colleges. Its focus is unapologetically practical, with standout career programs like Gunsmithing that cater to niche trades. For students in Iowa and beyond, it represents a low-risk, affordable proving ground: a place to explore academics, improve study habits, and either launch a career or transfer, all without the daunting selectivity or debt of a four-year university right out of high school.