Hawkeye Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Hawkeye Community College charges a net price of $9,649/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,298. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,849, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Hawkeye Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #29 of 47 Iowa colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,649/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,298 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,849 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,511/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$129,518 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Hawkeye Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,649 × 2 years = $19,298 total. Median earnings $42,849 fall $5,511 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $19,298 bill in about 1.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Hawkeye Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $42,849 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Hawkeye Community College students graduate?
43% finish their degree — 57% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,298 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $44,879 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Hawkeye Community College expensive compared with other Iowa colleges?
Its $9,649 net price runs $8,940 below the $18,589 median across the 47 Iowa colleges we profile, and $17,880 less across the full degree.