Career Training Path › Iowa › Hawkeye Community College
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo, Iowa · Public community college · Training programs available:
Address: 1501 E Orange Rd, Waterloo, IA 50701 · Phone: (319) 296-2320 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
No accreditor sanctions in the last 36 months
Hawkeye Community College is a public trade and career school in Waterloo, Iowa offering welding, medical assistant, and CNC machining programs, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Hawkeye Community College has a 43.3% completion rate, below the Iowa state average of 63.6%, with median graduate debt of $12,000 and median earnings of $42,849 ten years after entry, per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Cost of attendance is not reported in federal data for Hawkeye Community College; contact the school for current tuition. It participates in Title IV federal financial aid, and 21.8% of students receive Pell Grants.
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $45,590 | $55,090 | $60,200 |
| Medical assistants | $36,730 | $45,480 | $48,030 |
| Machinists | $44,500 | $57,540 | $61,530 |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $36,100 | $50,510 | $67,200 |
| Dental assistants | $39,360 | $48,430 | $57,620 |
| Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists | $43,710 | $59,680 | $71,570 |
| HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $43,040 | $60,680 | $75,950 |
| Dental hygienists | $78,320 | $84,010 | $93,880 |
| Construction laborers | $38,180 | $48,490 | $58,470 |
| Emergency medical technicians | $35,600 | $40,660 | $47,870 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in Iowa (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.
Trade programs at this campus
| Program | Credential | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Earnings, yr 2 | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Certificate, 1–2 years | 19 | $31,726 | $33,993 | $11,185 |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 1–2 years | 19 | $44,721 | $38,829 | $6,800 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate degree | 18 | $43,768 | $33,993 | $12,000 |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 17 | $44,721 | $38,829 | $6,800 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Associate degree | 15 | $38,474 | $36,312 | $16,500 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) | Certificate, 1–2 years | 15 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Associate degree | 13 | not reported | $48,823 | not reported |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate degree | 12 | $43,768 | $33,993 | $12,000 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Certificate, 1–2 years | 11 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 11 | $44,721 | $38,829 | $6,800 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Associate degree | 9 | $38,474 | $36,312 | $16,500 |
| Carpenters | Associate degree | 9 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Associate degree | 9 | not reported | $44,942 | not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Associate degree | 6 | $39,739 | not reported | not reported |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Certificate, 1–2 years | 6 | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Associate degree | 5 | not reported | $44,942 | not reported |
| Precision Metal Working | Certificate, 1–2 years | 5 | $44,721 | $38,829 | $6,800 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | Associate degree | 3 | $43,768 | $33,993 | $12,000 |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.
About this school
Hawkeye Community College is a public trade and career training campus located in Waterloo, Iowa. It participates in federal financial aid programs (Title IV), and holds programmatic accreditation from bodies including the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, and institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The college awards 18 program types across trade fields, with the most common being welding schools (41 completers), medical assistant programs (35 completers), and CNC & machining programs (25 completers).
Federal data show a completion rate of 43.3%, which is below the state average of 63.6%. Graduates carry a median debt of $12,000, and median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,849. Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data. About 21.8% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating a portion of the student body qualifies for need-based federal aid.
This campus, situated in a fringe rural locale with 2,626 undergraduates, offers a range of trade programs spanning shorter certificate tracks like welding and CNC machining to more clinically oriented fields such as dental hygiene and occupational therapy support. Whether this fits an adult career-changer depends on the specific program length and schedule, which are not detailed here — prospective students should contact the school directly. To verify accreditation status and outcome data independently, check the listed accreditors and the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
Questions students ask
What trade and career programs does this campus offer?
Hawkeye Community College offers 18 trade program types, most notably welding schools (41 completers), medical assistant programs (35 completers), and CNC & machining programs (25 completers). It also offers auto mechanic, dental assistant, diesel mechanic, HVAC, dental hygiene, construction trades, and EMT training programs.
Is this school accredited, and by whom?
Yes, the school is accredited. It holds institutional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and programmatic accreditation from the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
Can I use federal financial aid (FAFSA, Pell Grants) at this school?
Yes, this school participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs. About 21.8% of its students receive Pell Grants.
What share of students finish their program here, and how does that compare to the state?
The completion rate is 43.3%, which is below the Iowa state average of 63.6%.
How much debt do graduates of this school typically carry?
Median debt among graduates is $12,000, per federal Scorecard data.
What do graduates of this school earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,849, per federal Scorecard data.
How much does it cost to attend for a year?
Annual cost of attendance is not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school at (319) 296-2320 or visit its website for current tuition figures.
Is this a public, non-profit, or for-profit school, and why does that matter?
Hawkeye Community College is a public institution, which typically means lower tuition for state residents and eligibility for state-based aid programs in addition to federal aid.
How long do the programs here take to complete?
Program lengths are not reported in the provided data. Contact the school directly at (319) 296-2320 or via its website for program duration details.
How do I verify this school's accreditation and outcomes myself?
You can confirm accreditation status through the Higher Learning Commission and the listed programmatic accreditors, and review federal outcome data at the College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?153445).
Is this school a good fit for an adult changing careers?
The data provided does not specify program schedules or formats, so fit for adult career-changers cannot be confirmed from federal data alone; contact the school to ask about flexible or accelerated options.
What license or certification will I need after finishing a program here?
Licensing and certification requirements are not reported in this data. Contact the school directly to ask about license or certification requirements tied to specific programs.
How do I contact the school or apply?
You can reach Hawkeye Community College by phone at (319) 296-2320 or through its website at https://www.hawkeyecollege.edu/.
How does this campus compare with other schools offering the same trade nearby?
Comparative data with other nearby schools is not included in this dataset; check the College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?153445) to compare outcomes across institutions.
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See all trade and career schools in Iowa or search by ZIP code.
Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.