| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year college in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System; campus-based, with three associate degrees fully online |
| Campuses | 4, all in Louisiana: Lake Charles (main), Jennings (Morgan Smith), Leesville (Lamar Salter) and Oakdale |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AAS, AS, AGS and transfer degrees), technical diplomas, Certificates of Technical Studies (CTS) and shorter Certificates of Technical Competency (CTC) |
| Programs | 30+ programs and 60+ industry credentials, according to the college |
| Accreditation | The Commission on Colleges and Universities (formerly SACSCOC), associate level; in good standing |
| Federal aid | Yes (Pell grants); no federal student loans |
| 2026-27 cost | $138.96 a credit in tuition with the Grad Act adjustment, plus fees on the official schedule (12 credits $2,152.52; 15 credits $2,605.40); no residency tiers on the schedule |
| Students | More than 4,500 in fall 2025, a record, according to the college |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
SOWELA: a public technical college with four Louisiana campuses
SOWELA Technical Community College is a public two-year college in the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Its main campus is in Lake Charles, and it has three smaller sites: Morgan Smith in Jennings, Lamar Salter in Leesville, and Oakdale. The Leesville site came to SOWELA from Central Louisiana Technical Community College in 2022. The college says it enrolled more than 4,500 students in fall 2025, counting credit and non-credit students, a record and 20% more than a year earlier.
Most programs lead to jobs in nursing and allied health, industry, construction and aviation maintenance. Three associate degrees, in Business Administration, Culinary Arts and Criminal Justice, can be completed fully online. The 2026-27 fee schedule shows one per-credit rate with no residency tiers (out-of-state students should confirm), and the college does not offer federal student loans.
Programs at SOWELA, and where they are taught
The college says it offers more than 30 programs and 60 industry credentials. Many programs stack: a short Certificate of Technical Competency (CTC) or Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS) leads into a technical diploma and then an associate degree. The table shows the main career programs. Where the college lists a program without naming a campus, the table says so.
| Program | Credential | Length / starts | Where | Accreditation / exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing (LPN) | AAS, 77 credits; diploma, 62 credits | 6 or 5 semesters; fall cohorts | All four campuses (Lake Charles yearly; others every other year) | LSBPNE approval; NCLEX-PN |
| Nursing (RN) | Associate of Science, 71 credits | 5 semesters; fall and spring entry | Lake Charles | ACEN; NCLEX-RN |
| LPN to RN | Associate of Science, 74 awarded credits | Summer start; summer, fall, spring | Lake Charles, Leesville | ACEN; NCLEX-RN |
| Surgical Technology | AAS, 61 credits | 5 semesters; clinical cohort starts each summer | Jennings (clinical classes) | CAAHEP; NBSTSA CST (required to graduate) |
| Sterile Processing Technology | CTS, 20 credits | 1 semester; fall start, 16 seats | Jennings | HSPA CRCST |
| Aviation Maintenance Technology | AAS, 81 credits; diploma, 66; Airframe and Powerplant CTS, 41 each | About 2.5 years (AAS, diploma) | Lake Charles | FAA Part 147; ATMAE; FAA A&P tests |
| Welding | Technical diploma; SMAW Pipe Welder CTS, 27; Welders Helper CTC, 15 | – | Oakdale; also listed with no campus named | AWS Entry Level Welder; NCCER |
| Industrial Electrical Technology | AAS, 60 credits; diploma, 45; Helper CTS, 28 | – | Lake Charles, Jennings, Oakdale | – |
| Electrical and Plumbing Construction apprenticeships | Technical diplomas, 50 credits each | 750 clock hours each; union sponsor required | No campus named by the college | Journeyman level; no licence exam named |
| Carpentry | Technical diploma, 50 credits; CTS and CTC | 1,200 clock hours | No campus named by the college | NCCER |
| Culinary Arts / Baking and Pastry | AAS, 60 credits; diploma, 45; Production Cook and Production Baker CTS, 37 each | Internship in semester 4 | Lake Charles; AAS also 100% online | ACF accrediting commission approval |
| Business Administration | AAS, 60 credits; diploma, 45; CTS; CTC | – | On campus (no campus named); AAS also 100% online | ACBSP |
| Criminal Justice | AAS, 60 credits; diploma, 45; CTS, 21 | – | Lake Charles, Jennings; AAS also 100% online | – |
| Information Systems Technology | AAS, 60–62 credits; diploma, 45–47; CTS; CTC | – | No campus named by the college | – |
Programmatic accreditation includes: ACEN for the RN degree, CAAHEP for Surgical Technology, the FAA (Part 147) for Aviation Maintenance, ACBSP for Accounting and Business Administration, ATMAE for Aviation, Digital Arts and Drafting, and LSBPNE approval for Practical Nursing. Industrial instrumentation, industrial mechanics, process technology, chemical laboratory technology and vehicle maintenance are also taught.
Some program names cover less than they suggest. Paralegal Studies and Hospitality Management are concentrations inside the Business Administration AAS, not separate awards, and the college mentions no ABA approval for the paralegal courses. Networking, Software Development, Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity Operations are concentrations inside Information Systems Technology. Respiratory Care (a 74-credit AAS) has been announced, but it is still seeking CoARC accreditation and has no start date.
What the main programs cover
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing is a 77-credit AAS of 1,725 clock hours over six semesters, or a 62-credit technical diploma of 1,500 hours over five, with a Nursing Assistant certificate as an exit point. There is no application form: students bring a complete packet to the campus to join its waitlist. Lake Charles starts a cohort every fall, Leesville in even-year falls (2026, 2028, 2030), and Jennings and Oakdale in odd-year falls from 2027. Graduates sit the NCLEX-PN for a Louisiana practical nursing licence.
Nursing (RN) and LPN to RN
The Associate of Science in Nursing is 71 credits and 1,605 clock hours over five semesters at Lake Charles. Students first finish the first semester of prerequisites, then apply between February and 31 March for fall entry or in August for spring entry. Licensed practical nurses with an unencumbered Louisiana licence and IV certification can take the LPN to RN track instead: 57 credits taken plus 17 by advanced placement, after 24 credits of prerequisites. It starts every summer, runs through fall and spring, and puts one course online.
Surgical Technology
The 61-credit AAS takes five semesters and 1,485 clock hours, including 630 clinical hours in which students must log at least 120 surgical cases. Students complete the first semester of prerequisites and apply between January and early May; the clinical cohort starts each summer, with clinical classes at the Morgan Smith site in Jennings. Sitting the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam is a graduation requirement. The program page puts the total estimated cost at $13,000.
Sterile Processing Technology
This 20-credit Certificate of Technical Studies runs for one semester, starting each fall at the Morgan Smith site in Jennings. It totals 660 contact hours, of which 405 are a practicum worth 9 credits at clinical sites across Southwest Louisiana. The class has 16 seats, filled first come, first served, and applications are taken from January to 1 August. The program has no programmatic accreditor, but it prepares students for the HSPA Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) exam.
Aviation Maintenance Technology
SOWELA’s FAA-certificated Part 147 school at Lake Charles, which the college says is one of four in Louisiana, prepares students for the FAA mechanic written, oral and practical tests for Airframe and Powerplant. The AAS is 81 credits and 1,680 clock hours, the technical diploma 66 credits, and Airframe and Powerplant are each a 41-credit CTS. The college says AAS and diploma students take 2.5 to 2.6 years on average. A retired U.S. Air Force JSTARS aircraft was added to the program in 2024.
Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry
The 60-credit Culinary Arts AAS has three 27-credit concentrations: Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, and Culinary Medicine. Each path also has a 45-credit technical diploma, and the 37-credit Production Cook and Production Baker certificates are shorter. Students complete a 9-credit production internship in the fourth semester. Concentration rental fees are billed separately. The program is taught at Lake Charles, and the AAS can also be completed fully online; the college runs culinary dual enrollment for high-school students at the College Street Vocational Center.
One rate on the fee schedule, and no federal loans
SOWELA’s 2026-27 tuition and fee schedule shows one rate, with no resident, non-resident or parish tiers; out-of-state students should confirm with the college. Tuition is $133.93 a credit, and the Grad Act adjustment brings it to $138.96. Mandatory and online fees are set out on the official schedule, and its semester totals are below. Lab, testing and course fees are extra, and the schedule says rates are subject to change without notice.
| 2026-27 charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, per credit | $133.93 |
| Grad Act adjustment, per credit | $5.03 |
| Tuition with Grad Act adjustment, per credit | $138.96 |
| Total due for a 12-credit semester (official schedule) | $2,152.52 |
| Total due for a 15-credit semester (official schedule) | $2,605.40 |
SOWELA takes federal student aid such as Pell grants but does not take part in the federal student loan program. Louisiana’s M.J. Foster Promise Program pays up to $3,200 a year ($6,400 in total) toward high-demand programs for students aged 21 and over, first come, first served (as reported in July 2024). In 2024-25, 37 aviation maintenance students received an average of $6,572.15 in grants and scholarships. The college’s net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
Open admission, with selective health programs and sponsored apprenticeships
Admission to the college is open, but several programs have their own entry steps. The RN degree and Surgical Technology require the first semester of prerequisites before applying. Sterile Processing fills its 16 seats first come, first served, and Practical Nursing uses a campus waitlist. The Electrical Construction and Plumbing Construction diplomas are for indentured apprentices: the catalog says students need approval from the IBEW Local 861 or Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 106 apprenticeship committee.
The fall 2026 semester runs from 10 August to 4 December, with shorter 7-week and 4-week sessions inside it, and spring 2027 registration opens on 19 October 2026. The college runs an evening division, and courses are taught on campus, online and in hybrid formats.
Accreditation and results
SOWELA is accredited to award associate degrees by The Commission on Colleges and Universities, the name the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) took on 1 September 2026; the rename does not affect members’ accreditation. The college is in good standing and may also award certificates and diplomas. Programmatic accreditors are listed under Programs above.
The figures below are published by the college itself. SOWELA does not publish a college-wide job placement rate.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN pass rate, Associate of Science in Nursing | 95.7% | 2024, college’s nursing program page |
| NCLEX-RN pass rate, Associate of Science in Nursing | 95.45% | 2025, college’s nursing program page |
| NCLEX-RN pass rate, LPN to RN track | 80% | 2024-25, college’s Student Achievement page |
| NCLEX-PN pass rate, Practical Nursing | 100% at all four sites | May 2025 test term, college’s Practical Nursing page |
| CST pass rate, Surgical Technology | 64.7% (89% in 2023-24) | 2024-25, college’s Student Achievement page |
| Graduation rate within 150% of normal time | 42.67% (166 of 389) | Fall 2021 first-time, full-time cohort; college’s completion data (IPEDS) |
| Completion within 8 years | 51% | IPEDS Outcome Measures, 2025 reporting; college’s Student Achievement page |
Before you enroll
- SOWELA offers no federal student loans, so students who would otherwise borrow need to cover costs through grants, scholarships, state aid or other means.
- The college reports that the Surgical Technology CST pass rate fell to 64.7% in 2024-25, from 100% in 2022-23 and 89% in 2023-24, and sitting the exam is required to graduate.
- Practical Nursing cohorts at Leesville, Jennings and Oakdale start only every other fall; only Lake Charles starts one every year.
- The electrical and plumbing construction diplomas are not open to the public: they need union apprenticeship approval. For electrical work without a sponsor, Industrial Electrical Technology is open enrollment.
- Aviation Maintenance trains mechanics, not pilots. A flight training program at Chennault International Airport has been announced but was not open as of October 2026.
- The welding program page gives two different credit totals for the diploma, so confirm the current requirements with the college.
Four campuses: what each teaches
| Campus | Address | Main programs taught there |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles (main) | 3820 Senator J. Bennett Johnston Avenue, Lake Charles, LA 70615 | Nearly everything, including the RN degree, LPN to RN, Practical Nursing, aviation maintenance, culinary and process technology |
| Jennings (Morgan Smith) | 2110 North Sherman Street, Jennings, LA 70546 | Surgical Technology clinical classes, Sterile Processing, Criminal Justice, Industrial Electrical; next Practical Nursing cohort fall 2027 |
| Leesville (Lamar Salter) | 15014 Lake Charles Highway, Leesville, LA 71446 | Practical Nursing (even-year falls), LPN to RN, short-term training, adult education |
| Oakdale | 117 Highway 1152, Oakdale, LA 71463 | Welding, Industrial Electrical; next Practical Nursing cohort fall 2027 |
Online courses run through the college’s Virtual Instruction Program. SOWELA is NC-SARA approved, so the three fully online associate degrees are open to students in other SARA states. The dual-enrollment sites at Calcasieu Parish high schools and the College Street Vocational Center serve high-school students and are not public campuses.
What students say
On Niche, SOWELA is rated 4.3 out of 5 from 171 reviews, with an overall grade of B+ (checked 11 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise instructors with experience in their fields, supportive staff and a helpful One Stop center, affordable, hands-on and career-focused programs, and small classes. The most common complaints are high failure or drop rates in some courses, a limited choice of majors and online options, few summer classes and little campus life; some reviewers also mention a lack of affordable housing nearby. The dated reviews run from December 2022 to September 2025 and show no sign of invited or bursty posting, but the newest is more than a year old.
Sources
Checked October 2026: SOWELA locations · Fall 2026 catalog · 2026-27 tuition and fee schedule · Accreditation · Student Achievement · Completion data · Online programs · Niche reviews
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Allied Health
- Nursing (RN), Associate of Science
- LPN to RN
- Practical Nursing (LPN)
- Surgical Technology
- Sterile Processing Technology
- Respiratory Care (seeking CoARC accreditation; start date not set)
Aviation and Transportation
- Aviation Maintenance Technology (FAA Part 147)
- Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology
Construction and Industrial
- Welding
- Carpentry
- Industrial Electrical Technology
- Electrical Construction (IBEW apprenticeship)
- Plumbing Construction (apprenticeship)
- Industrial Instrumentation Technology
- Industrial Mechanics for Millwrights and Machinists
- Process Technology
- Chemical Laboratory Technology
Culinary
- Culinary Arts
- Baking and Pastry Arts (concentration and Production Baker certificate)
- Culinary Medicine (concentration)
Business
- Accounting
- Business Administration (concentrations: General Business, Office Administration, Hospitality Management, Paralegal Studies)
Computers, Design and Drafting
- Information Systems Technology (concentrations: Networking, Software Development, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity Operations)
- Digital Arts and Communication (Graphic Design, Media Production)
- Drafting and Design Technology
Public Safety and Transfer
- Criminal Justice (incl. Death Investigator concentration)
- General Studies
- Louisiana Transfer degrees (AALT, ASLT)
Campus Locations
Lake Charles, LA 3820 Senator J. Bennett Johnston Avenue, Lake Charles, LA 70615
Jennings, LA 2110 North Sherman Street, Jennings, LA 70546
Leesville, LA 15014 Lake Charles Highway, Leesville, LA 71446
Oakdale, LA 117 Highway 1152, Oakdale, LA 71463