Public · Community college
Northwest College
Powell, Wyoming · Remote town
- 11%
- Transfer rate
- $7,463
- Avg net price
- 49%
- Grad / completion
- $36,950
- Median earnings
Northwest College is a public associate-granting institution in Powell, Wyoming (remote town setting), enrolling 890 undergraduates. Admission is open to all applicants.
About Powell, Wyoming
Powell is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. Powell was incorporated in 1909. Powell was named for John Wesley Powell, U.S. soldier, geologist and explorer. Powell post office was established January 23, 1908. Powell was originally established as a cattle ranching community. Oil reserves were found in the late-19th century, prompting the CB&Q Railroad (later BNSF), to extend a line into Powell. (Wikipedia)
- Setting
- Remote town
- Highest degree offered
- Bachelor's
- Nearest big city
- 72 miles to Billings, MT
- To the ocean
- 674 miles
- Nearest airport
- 21 miles to Yellowstone (COD)
How Northwest College compares
Higher than 36% · #5 of 10 in Wyoming
Higher than 56% · #7 of 9 in Wyoming
Cheaper than 80% · #4 cheapest of 10 in Wyoming
Lower than 46%
Lower than 62%
Larger than 71%
Percentiles compare Northwest College with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in Wyoming.
Student body
Undergraduates by gender
- Women49556%
- Men39544%
Undergraduates by race / ethnicity
- White69%
- Hispanic8.4%
- Asian0.8%
- Other or multiracial21%
Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.
By the numbers
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 890
- Student–faculty ratio
- 14 : 1
- Pell Grant recipients
- 18%
- First-generation students
- 36%
- Students over 25
- 18%
- Median family income
- $34,915
- Avg faculty salary (academic year)
- $66,618
- Endowment
- $34,903,663
Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.
Where students come from
Home state of the 302 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.
- From Wyoming63%
- Other U.S. states23%
- International14%
A regional draw: about 63% of first-years come from Wyoming, the rest from elsewhere.
14% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.
Cost
- In-state tuition
- $4,962
- Out-of-state tuition
- $11,262
- Room & board
- $9,474
- Books & supplies
- $1,456
- Total cost of attendance
- $16,898
- Average net price
- $7,463
Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.
Outcomes
- Graduated
- 49%
- First-year retention
- —
- Transferred to another college
- 11%
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $33,237
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $36,950
- Median debt at graduation
- $10,000
- Students with federal loans
- 7%
- Paying down their loans (1 year in)
- 52%
Graduating on time
By student background (4 years)
When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.
Campus life & athletics
- On-campus housing
- Yes
- Dorm capacity
- 632
- Dorm capacity vs undergrads
- 71%
- Housing charge (year)
- $3,090
- Meal plan (year)
- $3,750
- Application fee
- Free
- Athletics
- NJCAA Division I
- Varsity athletes
- 164 (106 men · 58 women)
Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.
Varsity sports (6)
Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.
Campus safety
- Safety grade
- B
- Reported offenses per 1,000 students
- 1.6 / year
- Violent offenses (2022–2024)
- 6
- Property offenses (2022–2024)
- 1
On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (1,486 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.
Reported offenses in an average year
The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.
By offense type, per year
Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.
What you'll actually pay, by family income
Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.
College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.
Does the school pay you to attend?
Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.
Modest institutional aid: 82% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $6,278. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.
Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 265 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.
Is it worth it?
A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.
- Median earnings (10 years)
- $36,950
- Typical debt at graduation
- $10,000
- Debt vs. one year's pay
- 27%
- Out-earn a HS grad
- 48%
Typical debt would take roughly 2.7 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.
A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.
Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
The pay gap here
Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.
Men out-earn women by $10,972 (35%) a decade out.
Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.
Campus climate
- Summer high
- 85°F
- Winter low
- 6°F
- Annual rain
- 6.7″
- Annual snow
- 11.2″
Average temperature
HighLowAverage precipitation (inches)
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Powell Fld Stn, WY US station (1.1 mi from campus).
What Northwest College graduates study — and earn
Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.
Colleges similar to Northwest College
Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Northwest College side by side →
Western Wyoming Community College
Rock Springs, Wyoming · Remote town · 149 mi to Salt Lake City
- Students
- 1,319
- Tuition
- $4k
- Transfer
- 15%
- Earnings
- $41k
Northern Wyoming Community College District
Sheridan, Wyoming · Remote town · 103 mi to Billings
- Students
- 1,610
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 34%
- Earnings
- $40k
Central Wyoming College
Riverton, Wyoming · Remote town · 190 mi to Billings
- Students
- 1,054
- Tuition
- $5k
- Transfer
- 19%
- Earnings
- $34k
Eastern Wyoming College
Torrington, Wyoming · Remote town · 147 mi to Rapid City
- Students
- 482
- Tuition
- $4k
- Transfer
- 15%
- Earnings
- $37k
Casper College
Casper, Wyoming · Small city · 178 mi to Rapid City
- Students
- 2,204
- Tuition
- $4k
- Transfer
- 16%
- Earnings
- $41k
Lorenzo Walker Technical College
Naples, Florida · Large suburb · 35 mi to Fort Myers
- Students
- 875
- Tuition
- —
- Transfer
- 0%
- Earnings
- $37k
Colleges near Northwest College
Montana Bible College
Billings, MT · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 24 students
Aveda Institute Montana
Billings, MT · Private for-profit · Certificate · 80 students
Rocky Mountain College
Billings, MT · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 840 students
Montana State University Billings
Billings, MT · Public · Bachelor's · 2,626 students
Little Big Horn College
Crow Agency, MT · Public · Associate · 253 students
Northern Wyoming Community College District
Sheridan, WY · Public · Associate · 1,610 students
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.











