North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) is a nationally-ranked, two-year institution located in North Central Iowa that serves students of all ages and abilities. Starting in 1918 as Mason City Junior College, NIACC has the distinct privilege of being the oldest Iowa community college. In 2018, the College celebrated its 100 year anniversary of providing high quality, community-responsive education to our students. Since 2012, the College has received numerous national rankings, including being ranked in the top 10 percent of all community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute.
Located two hours south of Minneapolis, MN and two hours north of Des Moines, IA, NIACC is big enough to provide many opportunities for students and small enough to give students the personal attention they need and deserve. We provide the four-year college experience at the two-year college price. The tuition at NIACC is generally about half the cost of the tuition at the state’s public universities, making the process of getting general education credits much more affordable for students and their families. We have transfer agreements with more than 40 four-year institutions, making it easy for NIACC graduates to transfer and continue their education.