College Trends

Community colleges in Iowa

The College Scorecard lists 10 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in Iowa, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 22,520 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $12,187 a year, higher than the $7,415 median for community colleges nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $46,187 at the median institution, about the same as the $44,632 median for community colleges nationwide. The median graduation rate is 45.1%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
10
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
22,520
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$12,187
U.S.: $7,415
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$46,187
U.S.: $44,632
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$10,500
U.S.: $10,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
45.1%
U.S.: 34.4%

Compare all community colleges in Iowa on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Iowa. Showing 10 of 10 community colleges in Iowa; schools missing either value are left out.

All 10 community colleges in Iowa

Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids
7,591$12,073$6,288$8,388$45,413$12,00047.2%71.1%
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge
3,103$12,725$7,050$9,915$46,039$12,00041.4%51.7%
Iowa Western Community College
Council Bluffs
2,916$16,324$7,050$7,200$46,335$11,00043.8%57.0%
Hawkeye Community College
Waterloo
2,626$15,128$6,786$6,815$47,058$12,00049.6%63.2%
Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar
1,697$11,757$7,020$8,100$48,267$10,50055.2%61.8%
Indian Hills Community College
Ottumwa
1,495$11,505$5,232$6,120$45,714$9,50041.5%58.9%
Iowa Lakes Community College
Estherville
941$10,553$7,616$8,096$47,167$10,50046.4%60.9%
Northwest Iowa Community College
Sheldon
864$12,665$7,500$7,800$56,288$7,31362.2%72.7%
Marshalltown Community College
Marshalltown
788$7,234$5,664$6,672$43,170$7,87537.5%68.7%
Ellsworth Community College
Iowa Falls
499$12,300$5,664$6,672$43,267$8,84442.8%63.8%
Showing 10 of 10. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: community colleges in Iowa

How many community colleges are in Iowa?
The College Scorecard lists 10 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in Iowa.
What do community colleges in Iowa cost?
Across the 10 schools that report it, the median average net price is $12,187 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $7,234 at Marshalltown Community College to $16,324 at Iowa Western Community College.
Which community colleges in Iowa have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Marshalltown Community College ($7,234), Iowa Lakes Community College ($10,553), Indian Hills Community College ($11,505), Northeast Iowa Community College ($11,757), and Kirkwood Community College ($12,073).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at community colleges in Iowa?
The median published in-state tuition is $6,903 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $7,500. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of community colleges in Iowa earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $46,187 10 years after starting college (10 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Northwest Iowa Community College ($56,288), Northeast Iowa Community College ($48,267), and Iowa Lakes Community College ($47,167).
What is the graduation rate at community colleges in Iowa?
The median graduation rate is 45.1%, across 10 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of community colleges in Iowa have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $10,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Iowa

Community colleges in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award associate degrees, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.