Southwestern College vs Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC)

Southwestern Michigan College (SMC) and Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) stand out as two prominent community colleges in Michigan, each offering unique educational opportunities. SMC boasts an acceptance rate of 100%, welcoming all students with open arms, while GRCC's acceptance rate stands at 99%, ensuring a welcoming environment for aspiring learners. Both institutions offer a diverse range of programs, with SMC specializing in healthcare, business, and manufacturing, and GRCC excelling in health sciences, business, and engineering. While SMC's student body comprises 53% female and 47% male students, GRCC's student population is slightly more balanced, with 51% female and 49% male students. With graduation rates of 22% and 25% respectively, both colleges are committed to supporting students in achieving their academic goals. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which institution aligns best with your educational aspirations and
Grand Rapids Community College logo

Grand Rapids Community College

Southwestern Michigan College logo

Southwestern Michigan College

Overview

Location Grand Rapids, Michigan Dowagiac, Michigan
Campus setting City: Midsize Rural: Fringe
College type 2 year 2 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 57.0% 50.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT) Not required Not required
High school GPA N/A N/A
Recommendation letters N/A N/A
High school transcript N/A N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $21,121

Out of state: $24,841
In state: $17,512

Out of state: $17,964
Average net price $9,168 $9,153
Tuition
In state: $7,410

Out of state: $11,130
In state: $5,112

Out of state: $5,564
Room & board
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

54.0%
Average amount $5,801
84.0%
Average amount $5,429
Students receiving federal student loan 16.0%
Average amount $3,541
26.0%
Average amount $4,207
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $8,106
1.0%
Average amount $12,362

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 12,642
Men 42.3% Women 57.7%
1,756
Men 37.4% Women 62.6%
Graduate students N/A N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 12.6%
International students N/A 0.1%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity N/A 381
First year students are required to live on campus? N/A No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Michigan Indiana Illinois Ohio Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 19.7% 28.6%
Dropout rate 36.2% 44.2%
Transferred out 19.4% 21.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $51,135
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $61,862
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,133
  • Year 2: $54,732
  • Year 3: $57,616
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,723
  • Year 2: $41,025
  • Year 3: $44,954
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $31,348
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $41,400
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $41,438
  • Year 2: $37,671
  • Year 3: $41,393
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,232
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $39,841
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,941
  • Year 3: $36,311
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,965
  • Year 2: $33,779
  • Year 3: $34,400
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $23,727
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $32,428
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,081
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $32,396
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,825
  • Year 2: $55,026
  • Year 3: $58,414
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,851
  • Year 2: $19,531
  • Year 3: $22,808
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $31,839
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,285
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.