Iowa Western Community College
Iowa Western Community College offers hands-on training for skilled trades like welding, automotive, and HVAC/R, with programs often leading to industry certifications. Many programs incorporate practical experience through a dedicated Business and Community Training Center and offer opportunities for registered apprenticeships, connecting students directly with employers. Iowa residents may qualify for free tuition for certain high-demand programs through the Education 2 Employment initiative.
Programs Analyzed
Avg Grad Earnings
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
Tuition (In-State)
All Programs at Iowa Western Community College
9 trade programs at Iowa Western 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
77 | $65,268/yr | $20,000 |
|
Vehicle Repair Technology
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
71 | $47,545/yr | $6,500 |
|
Practical Nursing
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
71 | $33,043/yr | $12,229 |
|
HVAC Technology
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Compare nationwide → |
66 | $52,345/yr | — |
|
Dental Assisting
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
65 | $64,917/yr | — |
|
Allied Health Professions
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
57 | $43,991/yr | — |
|
Welding & Metalworking
Precision Metal Working Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
49 | $27,761/yr | $5,500 |
|
Liberal Arts & Humanities
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Compare nationwide → Compare in IA → |
41 | $28,291/yr | $10,958 |
|
Audio & Video Technology
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians Compare nationwide → |
35 | $24,428/yr | $11,000 |
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.
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.
Trade Schools Near Council Bluffs
Other cities in Iowa with multiple trade schools, sorted by distance from Council Bluffs.
About This Data
TradeSchoolOutlook analyzes 9 trade and vocational programs at Iowa Western 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.