Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, IA · Public · 2,528 students · Visit Website

Hawkeye Community College offers hands-on training in various trades, including construction, manufacturing, welding, and industrial automation, utilizing advanced technology like robotics and simulations. The school is a leader in apprenticeship training, combining classroom instruction with on-the-job experience, and connects students with employers through platforms like Handshake. Many programs prepare students for specific certifications and in-demand careers, with options for both short-term certificates and associate degrees.

Programs Analyzed

13

Avg Grad Earnings

$42,706/yr

Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score

62/100

Tuition (In-State)

$6,308/yr
Out-of-state: $6,598/yr

All Programs at Hawkeye Community College

13 trade programs at Hawkeye CC, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score (combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size). Use the “compare” links to see how this school’s programs stack up against others nationally.

Program Score Earnings Debt 10yr ROI AI Risk Job Market
Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
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76 $58,835/yr $18,469 49.0x High Very Large
292 openings/yr
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice and Corrections
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74 $49,572/yr $11,000 42.1x Moderate Very Large
480 openings/yr
Agricultural Business
Agricultural Business and Management
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70 $47,472/yr 36.3x High Very Large
398 openings/yr
Health Administration
Health and Medical Administrative Services
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69 $32,126/yr $20,000 54.3x High Very Large
729 openings/yr
Welding & Metalworking
Precision Metal Working
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68 $45,509/yr $6,800 87.7x Low Very Large
164 openings/yr
Computer Networking
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
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67 $40,873/yr 48.5x Very High Very Large
258 openings/yr
Allied Health Professions
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
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64 $55,987/yr 43.4x Moderate Very Large
124 openings/yr
Vehicle Repair Technology
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies
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64 $47,762/yr $12,000 39.6x Low Very Large
214 openings/yr
Carpentry
Carpenters
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62 $44,602/yr 34.4x Moderate Very Large
148 openings/yr
Medical Assisting
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
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62 $39,614/yr $16,500 33.4x Moderate Very Large
252 openings/yr
Dental Assisting
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions
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57 $32,834/yr $11,185 63.2x Moderate Large
99 openings/yr
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
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44 $30,321/yr $11,987 33.7x Low Medium
13 openings/yr
Graphic Communications
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34 $29,682/yr 22.5x High Large
32 openings/yr

Reading the table: Score combines earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size on a 0–100 scale. Earnings = median first-year salary from College Scorecard. Debt = median federal debt at graduation (blank where Scorecard suppresses small samples). 10yr ROI = projected 10-year earnings ÷ in-state tuition. AI Risk reflects task-level AI exposure across mapped occupations. Job Market = annual openings nationwide for connected occupations.

More Trade Schools in Iowa

Top-scored trade schools elsewhere in Iowa, ranked by average TradeSchoolOutlook Score across their programs.

View all trade schools in Iowa →

Apprenticeship Pathways in Iowa

Earn-while-you-learn alternatives in Iowa. Registered apprenticeships skip tuition and pay you during training, though training periods are typically longer.

Browse all apprenticeship trades →

Trade Schools Near Waterloo

Other cities in Iowa with multiple trade schools, sorted by distance from Waterloo.

About This Data

TradeSchoolOutlook analyzes 13 trade and vocational programs at Hawkeye Community College using earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and employment projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024–2034).

The TradeSchoolOutlook Score (0–100) combines graduate earnings, return on investment, AI resilience, and job market size. AI Risk reflects task-level exposure for the occupations each program feeds into. Job Market shows the size of the national hiring pool. Programs without published debt figures had small reporting samples that the College Scorecard suppresses for privacy.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections). Last updated 2026.