Hawkeye Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Waterloo, Iowa. It enrolls 2,626 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes38
Value60
Affordability35
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Hawkeye Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Hawkeye Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,649 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,649
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
22%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
23%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$6,525
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,612
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,340
Books & Supplies
$795
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,627
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,901
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,443
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,151
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,859
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,316
Over $110,000
$13,016
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,05010%percentile
$3,81425%percentile
$12,000Medianpercentile
$13,75075%percentile
$22,25090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,500
↓ $2,500
No Pell $7,185
↓ $4,815
Dependent students $7,333
↓ $4,667
Independent students $11,500
↓ $500
Female students $9,475
↓ $2,525
Male students $7,000
↓ $5,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,742, less than completers ($12,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of full-time students who enrolled at Hawkeye Community College graduate within six years, and 60% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
60%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Hawkeye Community College earn a median of $42,849 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$42,849
Earning > $25K
70%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$32,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,500
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$32,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$41,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$42,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,100, about 27% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
15.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 75% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Hawkeye Community College is home to 2,626 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 36% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
2,626
Part-Time
33%
First-Generation
36%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 70.8%1,858
Black 10.2%268
Hispanic 7.4%194
Other 5.5%144
International 2.6%68
Asian 2.0%53
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Hawkeye Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeWaterloo, Iowa
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
14%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Hawkeye Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
54 distinct programs across
22 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Hawkeye Community College is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,149
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$4.2M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$54,732
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
107 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
107
100%
$54,732
Pros & Cons of Hawkeye Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Hawkeye Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Hawkeye Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hawkeye Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Hawkeye Community College.
Is Hawkeye Community College hard to get into?
Hawkeye Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Hawkeye Community College?
Hawkeye Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Hawkeye Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Hawkeye Community College is $9,649 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Hawkeye Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $42,849 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,649 per year. That's roughly 4.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Hawkeye Community College known for?
Hawkeye Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Vehicle Maintenance. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Hawkeye Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Hawkeye Community College are $42,849, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Hawkeye Community College accredited?
Yes. Hawkeye Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Hawkeye Community College?
Hawkeye Community College enrolls 2,626 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Hawkeye Community College?
Hawkeye Community College graduates 29% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Hawkeye Community College a public or private college?
Hawkeye Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Hawkeye Community College located?
Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, Iowa.
What programs does Hawkeye Community College offer?
Hawkeye Community College offers 54 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Vehicle Maintenance.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Hawkeye Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Hawkeye Community College is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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