Location: Waterloo, IA•In-State Tuition: $6,308•Out-of-State Tuition: $6,598
Median Earnings (1yr)
$45,509
95th percentile
60th percentile in Iowa
Median Debt
$7,874
13% below national median
D/E Ratio: 0.17 ManageableSample: 22 graduates Limited data

Analysis

Hawkeye's precision metalworking certificate produces first-year earnings 26% above the national median for this credential, though the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these outcomes could shift significantly with more data. At just under $7,900 in debt, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.17—meaning they'd owe less than two months of their first year's salary. For anxious parents, that's about as manageable as student debt gets.

The Iowa context tells an interesting story. While Hawkeye ranks 95th percentile nationally, it sits closer to 60th percentile among Iowa's 15 metalworking programs. Marshalltown and Northeast Iowa both deliver slightly stronger first-year earnings, though Hawkeye's debt load is lower than most in-state alternatives. The modest earnings dip from year one to year four (from $45,509 to $44,868) suggests these graduates may start near their peak—but that's typical in skilled trades where starting wages reflect actual productivity from day one.

With debt payable in roughly three months of work, this program offers a low-risk entry into advanced manufacturing. The earnings compare favorably to what many bachelor's degree holders make, achieved in a fraction of the time and cost. Just remember: these numbers come from a small cohort, so they're directionally useful but not definitive.

Where Hawkeye Community College Stands

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

Hawkeye Community CollegeOther precision metal working programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Earnings Distribution

How Hawkeye Community College graduates compare to all programs nationally

Hawkeye Community College earns $46k — 95th percentile among precision metal working certificate programs.

Earnings Over Time

How earnings evolve from 1 year to 4 years after graduation

School1 Year4 YearsGrowth
Hawkeye Community College$45,509$44,868-1%
Ferris State University$68,852$74,137+8%
Northeast Iowa Community College$43,588$49,983+15%
Iowa Central Community College$27,404$44,395+62%
Des Moines Area Community College$39,397$43,506+10%

Compare to Similar Programs in Iowa

Precision Metal Working certificate's programs at peer institutions in Iowa (15 total in state)

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)Earnings (4yr)Median DebtDebt/Earnings
Hawkeye Community CollegeWaterloo$6,308$45,509$44,868$7,8740.17
Marshalltown Community CollegeMarshalltown$5,304$45,972———
Northeast Iowa Community CollegeCalmar$6,600$43,588$49,983$5,4790.13
Western Iowa Tech Community CollegeSioux City$5,042$41,613—$7,9100.19
Des Moines Area Community CollegeAnkeny$5,550$39,397$43,506$5,5000.14
Iowa Western Community CollegeCouncil Bluffs$6,780$27,761—$5,5000.20
National Median—$36,248—$9,0000.25

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.

Sample Size: Based on 22 graduates with reported earnings and 29 graduates with debt data. Small samples may not be representative.