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Northwest Shoals Community College

Muscle Shoals , AL

Northwest-Shoals Community College (NWSCC) is a public community college located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Established in 1993 through the merger of two former community colleges, NWSCC offers a variety of programs and services to meet the educational and career needs of its students. With campuses in both Muscle Shoals and Phil Campbell, NWSCC serves both Colbert and Franklin counties, providing accessible and affordable education for students of all backgrounds.

NWSCC offers a wide range of academic programs, including associate degrees, certificates, and transfer programs. Students can choose from fields such as nursing, business, computer science, welding, and many others. The college also provides opportunities for students to continue their education by transferring credits to four-year institutions. NWSCC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, ensuring that its programs meet the highest standards of quality.

In addition to its strong academic offerings, NWSCC is committed to student success and support. The college provides various resources, including tutoring services, academic advising, and career counseling, to assist students in achieving their goals. NWSCC also offers a variety of clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities, allowing students to get involved on campus and enhance their college experience. With its focus on academic excellence and student engagement, Northwest-Shoals Community College provides a vibrant learning environment for its students.

Northwest Shoals Community College is a public two-year college with graduate programs located in Muscle Shoals, AL. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 100%. The freshman retention rate at Northwest Shoals Community College is 61%.

Here are some essential information on important things to consider about Northwest Shoals Community College.

Quick Facts

4,665

Total Number of Undergraduate Students

18:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

Admissions

You need to learn as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the school in order to increase your chances of being accepted. Learn some important data about admission at Northwest Shoals Community College.

In 2025, the school accepted 1,945 new students.

Test Scores

The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.31. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Northwest Shoals Community College.

Average Test Scores

Retention Rate

The percentage of new students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. When you make your list of possible schools to attend, you should consider the freshman retention rate, among other things.

As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Northwest Shoals Community College was 61%.

Student Body

Choosing a school that is the right place for you is not a simple task. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.

Main Student Body

The overall number of students enrolled at Northwest Shoals Community College in 2025 was 4,665.

That year, the institution had an out-of-state student body percentage of 3. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 4,665, 11 of which were foreign students. The number of transfer students at this school was 9.

Student Population Gender Ratio

The student body is coeducational, with 399 male and 521 female full-time students in 2025, which is indicative of the importance this institution places on gender equality.

Student Population Diversity

Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. A heterogeneous student body brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.

This school had 6 Asian students and 207 Afro-American students in 2025. 219 undergraduate students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 119 identified with more than one race. The school also had 1 student who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 9 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 3 students whose ethnicity is unknown.

Cost

One of the most crucial things to take into account when applying to any college or university is the financial component. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.

Tuition and Fees

Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Northwest Shoals Community College estimated tuition costs.

For the students who live in the area, the tuition cost was $3,144, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $6,288. Tuition costs at Northwest Shoals Community College for international students totalled $6,288. Full-time students in 2025 were obliged to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,303.

Category Tuition Fees Total
Out-of-State $6,288 $1,303 $7,591
In-State $3,144 $1,303 $4,447

Boarding

Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?

In 2025, the price of room and board at Northwest Shoals Community College was $10,250 per academic year. If you only wanted a dormitory room, you had to pay $7,367 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $7,550.

Tuition $ 3,144
Room and Board $ 10,250
Total Expense $ 13,394

Financial Aid

Grants, loans, scholarships, work-study programs: these are all different types of financial support available to students. Check out some recent data to get informed about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid students could get at Northwest Shoals Community College.

The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 273 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $10,437 in financial help.

Need-based

If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.

564 students were awarded some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Northwest Shoals Community College isn't available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 564. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution came to $13,328,499, and state $92,100.

$3,676

Average Amount of Aid Received

Non-Need Based

Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.

Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 140 students overall (including freshmen) at Northwest Shoals Community College in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 87 full-time freshman. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $1,274,573. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $43,847 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).

Faculty

18:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.

According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Northwest Shoals Community College was 18:1: that means 18 students per one teacher. According to the most recent information, there are 215 faculty members at this school. Out of that number, there were 93 men and 118 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Northwest Shoals Community College.

Student Population Diversity Graph

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100
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100

Campus Life

Not everything at Northwest Shoals Community College is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some information about campus life at Northwest Shoals Community College.

It has a campus size of 210 acres.

Student Organizations

Participating in different student organizations can make your educational experience more interesting and fulfilling.

This school has 22 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. The student organization with the highest level of popularity is Math Club, followed by Baptist Campus Ministry and Phi Theta Kappa. Other popular organizations at Northwest Shoals Community College are Science Club and Student Government Association.

Student Services

Northwest Shoals Community College provides a number of services needed for a comfortable and secure life on campus.

There are phone and alarm devices that can be accessed 24/7 for emergency situations. All in all, campus life at Northwest Shoals Community College is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.

Career Services

Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Northwest Shoals Community College.

Career Counselling

At Northwest Shoals Community College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are job fairs. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.

FAQ

Northwest Shoals Community College is located in Muscle Shoals, AL.

Northwest Shoals Community College doesn't offer need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.

According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Northwest Shoals Community College is 100%.

According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Northwest Shoals Community College is 61%.

Contact Information

Northwest Shoals Community College

800 GEORGE WALLACE BLVD

Muscle Shoals , AL

35662

256 331-5200

School Website

Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.

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