Precision Metal Working (Associate's Degree) at Hawkeye Community College

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$41,504

Est. from national median (56 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$11,562

Est. from national median (20 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 suggests this program could make financial sense, though the estimates here paint an incomplete picture. Based on comparable precision metal working programs nationally, first-year earnings around $41,500 against borrowing of roughly $11,600 means graduates could potentially pay off their debt within a few months of full-time work—a manageable burden for an associate degree that gets students into the workforce quickly.

What's harder to assess is how Hawkeye's program stacks up locally. Iowa's median for this field sits at $48,114, nearly $7,000 higher than the national baseline used here. That gap matters when neighboring Kirkwood Community College reports exactly that figure for its graduates. The four-year earnings mark of $54,332 offers some reassurance that pay growth is happening, but without knowing whether that's actual data from Hawkeye or another estimate, it's difficult to gauge trajectory.

The practical question is whether precision metal working aligns with Iowa's manufacturing landscape and your child's aptitude for hands-on technical work. The fundamentals—low debt, decent starting pay, strong demand for skilled trades—point toward a solid foundation. Just recognize you're making this decision with limited visibility into Hawkeye's specific outcomes, and consider reaching out to the program directly about graduate placement rates and employer partnerships in the Waterloo area.

Where Hawkeye Community College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all precision metal working associates's programs nationally

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School	1 Year	4 Years	Growth
Hawkeye Community College	—	$54,332	—
Ferris State University	$56,811	$77,380	+36%
Hennepin Technical College	$59,829	$73,136	+22%
Ivy Tech Community College	$56,292	$64,893	+15%
Kirkwood Community College	$48,114	$50,579	+5%

Compare to Similar Programs in Iowa

Precision Metal Working associates's programs at peer institutions in Iowa (12 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo	$6,308	$41,504*	$54,332	$11,562*	—
Kirkwood Community CollegeCedar Rapids	$5,980	$48,114*	$50,579	$13,500*	0.28
National Median	—	$41,504*	—	$12,000*	0.29

* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with precision metal working graduates

Sheet Metal Workers

Fabricate, assemble, install, and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as ducts, control boxes, drainpipes, and furnace casings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend, and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks, or forms using hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; or inspecting, assembling, and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces. Includes sheet metal duct installers who install prefabricated sheet metal ducts used for heating, air conditioning, or other purposes.

$60,850/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Machinists

Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments out of metal. Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments. May also fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

$57,700/yrJobs growth:

Tool and Die Makers

Analyze specifications, lay out metal stock, set up and operate machine tools, and fit and assemble parts to make and repair dies, cutting tools, jigs, fixtures, gauges, and machinists' hand tools.

$57,700/yrJobs growth:

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand-soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

$51,000/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend forging machines to taper, shape, or form metal or plastic parts.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to roll steel or plastic forming bends, beads, knurls, rolls, or plate, or to flatten, temper, or reduce gauge of material.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend drilling machines to drill, bore, ream, mill, or countersink metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend grinding and related tools that remove excess material or burrs from surfaces, sharpen edges or corners, or buff, hone, or polish metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend lathe and turning machines to turn, bore, thread, form, or face metal or plastic materials, such as wire, rod, or bar stock.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Set up, operate, or tend milling or planing machines to mill, plane, shape, groove, or profile metal or plastic work pieces.

$46,800/yrJobs growth:

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Hawkeye Community College, approximately 22% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 56 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.