Southwestern Michigan College
About
Southwestern Michigan College is a public community college with its main campus near Dowagiac, Michigan.It also has a campus just outside the city limits of Niles, Michigan.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 26.9-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.
Of 43 Title IV programs, 3 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 40 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing3 · 7.0%
- No Data40 · 93.0%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
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.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Higher Learning Commission
Higher Learning Commission
Programmatic accreditations · 1
Action history · 3
- Mar 2022Renewal of AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
- Jul 2021Renewal of AccreditationHigher Learning Commission
- Mar 2017Initial AccreditationAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 1,107 students received $5.3M in Pell grants, alongside $1.8M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
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.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 443 borrowers who entered repayment, 12 (2.7%) defaulted within three years — above the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* 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.
Academic programs at Southwestern Michigan College
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 4
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus3
Includes 3 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Southwestern Michigan College vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Southwestern Michigan College selected for federal comparison reporting.
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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectSouthwestern Michigan College | 38% | — | 2,000 | $5,978 | Community College |
| 100% | — | 1,581 | $3,320 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 2,149 | $11,949 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,397 | $4,547 | Community College | |
| — | — | 1,183 | $8,918 | Community College | |
| — | — | 882 | $5,397 | Community College | |
| — | — | 12,468 | $8,621 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,410 | $660 | Baccalaureate | |
| 33% | — | 5,086 | $7,761 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 6,334 | $2,979 | Community College | |
| — | — | 4,036 | $4,858 | Community College | |
| — | — | 1,905 | $7,456 | Community College | |
| — | — | 2,937 | $6,680 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 9,821 | $5,437 | Community College | |
| — | — | 16,300 | $1,618 | Community College | |
| — | — | 3,692 | $8,370 | Community College | |
| — | — | 2,210 | $4,586 | Community College | |
| — | — | 1,751 | $7,280 | Community College | |
| — | — | 6,718 | $5,687 | Community College | |
| — | — | 3,617 | $4,005 | Community College | |
| — | — | 1,613 | $10,083 | Community College | |
| 53% | — | 3,253 | $6,231 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 15,287 | $5,777 | Community College | |
| — | — | 8,587 | $2,260 | Baccalaureate | |
| — | — | 3,317 | $5,571 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,133 | $3,249 | Community College | |
| — | — | 11,887 | $7,656 | Community College | |
| — | — | 1,120 | $1,527 | Community College | |
| Peer group median | 46% | — | 3,655 | $5,629 |
Institutions like Southwestern Michigan College
Explore the federal data for institutions in Southwestern Michigan College's comparison group.
- BaccalaureateMichigan
Alpena Community College
Grad rate100%Admit rate—Enrollment1,581Net price$3,320View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Bay de Noc Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment2,149Net price$11,949View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Delta College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment8,397Net price$4,547View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Glen Oaks Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment1,183Net price$8,918View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Gogebic Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment882Net price$5,397View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Grand Rapids Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment12,468Net price$8,621View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Henry Ford College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,410Net price$660View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Jackson College
Grad rate33%Admit rate—Enrollment5,086Net price$7,761View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment6,334Net price$2,979View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Kellogg Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment4,036Net price$4,858View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Kirtland Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment1,905Net price$7,456View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Lake Michigan College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment2,937Net price$6,680View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Lansing Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment9,821Net price$5,437View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Macomb Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment16,300Net price$1,618View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Mid Michigan College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment3,692Net price$8,370View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Monroe County Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment2,210Net price$4,586View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Montcalm Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment1,751Net price$7,280View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Mott Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment6,718Net price$5,687View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Muskegon Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment3,617Net price$4,005View data - Community CollegeMichigan
North Central Michigan College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment1,613Net price$10,083View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Northwestern Michigan College
Grad rate53%Admit rate—Enrollment3,253Net price$6,231View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Oakland Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment15,287Net price$5,777View data - BaccalaureateMichigan
Schoolcraft Community College District
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment8,587Net price$2,260View data - Community CollegeMichigan
St Clair County Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment3,317Net price$5,571View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Washtenaw Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,133Net price$3,249View data - Community CollegeMichigan
Wayne County Community College District
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment11,887Net price$7,656View data - Community CollegeMichigan
West Shore Community College
Grad rate—Admit rate—Enrollment1,120Net price$1,527View data
Southwestern Michigan College Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
To stay relevant, competitive, and focused on the needs of our stakeholders—students, alumni, community, donors, faculty, and staff—Southwestern Michigan College regularly evaluates and updates its institutional effectiveness.
Visit IR office page- Dr. Angela EvansDirector of Institutional Research
Research funding
External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.
Reports & documents (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planStrategic Plan2026Southwestern Michigan College's Strategic Plan outlines the institution's commitment to providing affordable, high-quality postsecondary education while enhancing institutional effectiveness. It emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement to stay relevant and focused on stakeholders' needs, including students, alumni, and the community. The plan guides the college's progress toward its goals, ensuring alignment with its mission and purpose.swmich.edu
Frequently asked questions about Southwestern Michigan College
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Southwestern Michigan College.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Michigan College?
How many students attend Southwestern Michigan College?
What is the average net price at Southwestern Michigan College?
Where is Southwestern Michigan College located?
Who runs Institutional Research at Southwestern Michigan College?
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.
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