Community CollegePublic

NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Bentonville, Arkansas·Public, 2-year·Southeast·nwacc.edu

NorthWest Arkansas Community College has open admission, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). 31% of students graduate within 150% of normal time (3 years for an associate degree), per 2024 IPEDS data. In-district tuition and fees are $3,342 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $5,238 (2024). Fall enrollment is 8,412 students, and 12,331 enrolled over the full 12-month year (2024). Source: IPEDS.

Acceptance
100%
Open admission
Graduation (150% time)
31%
—
Total enrollment
8,412
peer median 4,409
Avg net price
$7,196
-$1.7k vs Community College
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OutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR Office

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
31%
Full-time retention
62%

Pell equity

11.0pp gap
Pell recipients
25%74 of 295
Non-Pell (all)
36%140 of 389
Subsidized loan, no Pell
38%9 of 24
No Federal Aid
36%131 of 365

Non-Pell students graduate at a 11.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 60 Title IV programs, 8 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 52 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
60
Passing
8
13.3% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

60programs
  • Passing8 · 13.3%
  • No Data52 · 86.7%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
1
Safe
7
No data
52

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

8
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Associate Degree · Personal And Culinary Services
+14.4%
$36,169 vs $31,625
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
+36.6%
$43,192 vs $31,625
Business Administration Management and Operations
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+39.7%
$44,173 vs $31,625
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+52.2%
$48,127 vs $31,625
Computer and Information Sciences General
Associate Degree · Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
+73.1%
$54,737 vs $31,625
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+91.1%
$60,422 vs $31,625
Business/Commerce General
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+104.8%
$64,778 vs $31,625
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+117.8%
$68,866 vs $31,625

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

5
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences General
Undergraduate Certificate · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
28%
$15,077 debt · $53,283 earn
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
22%
$15,422 debt · $68,866 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Associate Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
17%
$7,302 debt · $43,192 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Undergraduate Certificate · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
16%
$8,450 debt · $51,796 earn
Business/Commerce General
Associate Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
16%
$10,437 debt · $64,778 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1995Next review Aug 2030

Programmatic accreditations · 2

Action history · 7

  1. Oct 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
  2. Sep 2022Probation or Equivalent or a More Severe Status: Probation
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
  3. Dec 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  4. Mar 2020Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
  5. Mar 2020Renewal of Accreditation
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$5,722
$30–48k$5,751
$48–75k$8,300
$75–110k$10,231
$110k+$11,719

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$7,196
-$1,666vs Community College median $8,862
Federal loans
11.4%
In-district tuition and fees
$3,342
Out-of-state tuition and fees
$5,238

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 2,548 students received $10.9M in Pell grants, alongside $6.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
2,548
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$10.9M
$10,882,407 total
Direct Loans
$6.4M
1,720 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
’20
2k
’21
2k
’22
2k
’23
3k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.8M
865 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$3.4M
830 loan awards
Parent PLUS$186K
25 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 994 borrowers who entered repayment, 46 (4.6%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
4.6%
+2.3pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
994
Defaulted
46
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
13.8%
2017
14.4%
2018
12.5%
2019
4.6%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs56
UndergraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

1,106 total completions
01Liberal Arts
68461.8%
02Health Professions
18016.3%
03Business
11910.8%
04Engineering Tech
333.0%
05Personal/Culinary
242.2%
06Education
211.9%
07Visual/Performing Arts
191.7%
08Computer Sciences
111.0%
09Legal Professions
90.8%
10Agriculture
60.5%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
8,412
12-mo unduplicated
12,331
Undergraduate
12,331
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
42%5,122
Women
58%7,209

Race / ethnicity composition

White
53.1%
Hispanic
30.9%
Unknown
4.1%
Asian
3.5%
Two or more
3.3%
Black
3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.7%
Non-resident
0.4%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
24
14 M · 10 W
Women athletes
41.7%
Athletic aid
$17K
Total student aid
Budget
$124K
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$7K
$10K
Recruiting expense
$600
$600
Head-coach salaries
$32K
$32K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 1

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
19 M · 14 W
$118K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.26
2 offenses · 7,839 students

3-year trend

0.002 yrs ago0.131 yr ago0.26Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
3
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
5
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
2

By location

2total
  • Non-campus2

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
1
Stalking
1 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs50
Liquor00

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Data quality: 1 report was later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
13.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
165

NorthWest Arkansas Community College vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions NorthWest Arkansas Community College selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
6-yr gradRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectNorthWest Arkansas Community College
—Open admission8,412$7,196Community College
Germanna Community College
—Open admission8,544$5,541Community College
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
—Open admission1,312$4,385Community College
Catawba Valley Community College
—Open admission4,904$10,528Community College
Blue Ridge Community College
—Open admission3,790$13,997Community College
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
—Open admission3,914$10,810Community College
Peer group median——4,409$8,862

Institutions like NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Explore the federal data for institutions in NorthWest Arkansas Community College's comparison group.

IPEDS
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    Germanna Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    8,544
    Net price
    $5,541
  • Community CollegeArkansas

    Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    1,312
    Net price
    $4,385
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Catawba Valley Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    4,904
    Net price
    $10,528
  • Community CollegeVirginia

    Blue Ridge Community College

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    3,790
    Net price
    $13,997
  • Community CollegeNorth Carolina

    Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

    Grad rate
    —
    Admit rate
    Open admission
    Enrollment
    3,914
    Net price
    $10,810

NorthWest Arkansas Community College Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to College Leadership
Email
InstitutionalResearch [at] nwacc.edu
Phone
479-619-4399
Address
Burns Hall, 3010, One College Drive, Bentonville, AR 72712

Institutional Research strives to provide quality, timely and accurate information to support decision making at NWACC while maintaining reporting requirements for external agencies.

Visit IR office page

Frequently asked questions about NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about NorthWest Arkansas Community College.

What is the acceptance rate at NorthWest Arkansas Community College?

NorthWest Arkansas Community College has an open admission policy, so it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements (effectively a 100% acceptance rate). Some programs, such as nursing, may have separate selective admission. IPEDS does not collect an admit rate for open-admission colleges.

What is the graduation rate at NorthWest Arkansas Community College?

At NorthWest Arkansas Community College, 31% of students graduate within 150% of normal time (3 years for an associate degree), per 2024 IPEDS data.

How many students attend NorthWest Arkansas Community College?

NorthWest Arkansas Community College reports a total enrollment of 8,412 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at NorthWest Arkansas Community College?

The average net price at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is $7,196 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

Where is NorthWest Arkansas Community College located?

NorthWest Arkansas Community College is located in Bentonville, Arkansas 72712-5091.

Who runs Institutional Research at NorthWest Arkansas Community College?

NorthWest Arkansas Community College's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to College Leadership.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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