Southwestern Michigan College
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and students who want small classes and close faculty access. graduation rate is below 40%. a public school with 1,431 students.
About This School
Southwestern Michigan College is a public institution located in Dowagiac, Michigan with approximately 1,431 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $5,978 per year. The graduation rate is 32%, and the typical graduate earns $32,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
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.
Worth considering if you're looking to keep costs low and start a career path affordably — at just $6,463/year net price and a median debt of only $5,500 at graduation, the financial risk here is genuinely minimal. That said, median earnings of $32,200 a decade out suggest this works best as a stepping stone to a four-year transfer or a specific trade credential, not as a terminal degree for high-earning careers. If your goal is to save money while completing general education requirements or earning a two-year credential in a practical field, this small community college makes real sense.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 22% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Southwestern Michigan College graduates earn most above the national rate in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($83,660 vs $80,813 nationally), and most below it in Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($37,492 vs $44,125).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 69 | $37,492 | $44,125 | −$6,633 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 40 | $83,660 | $80,813 | +$2,847 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 7 | $43,335 | $46,706 | −$3,371 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,431 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
Southwestern Michigan College
58900 Cherry Grove Rd
Dowagiac, MI 49047-9793
Official Links
Schools Like This in Michigan
Monroe County Community College
Monroe, MI · Public
Montcalm Community College
Sidney, MI · Public
St Clair County Community College
Port Huron, MI · Public
Lake Michigan College
Benton Harbor, MI · Public
Kirtland Community College
Grayling, MI · Public
Lake Superior State University
Sault Ste Marie, MI · Public
See How Colleges Compare
Southwestern Michigan College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Southwestern Michigan College cost?
The average net price at Southwestern Michigan College is about $5,978 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern Michigan College?
Southwestern Michigan College has a graduation rate of 32%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
All school names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this page is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement or affiliation with CollegeHelpGuide.