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CNC & machining programs in Iowa
Iowa has 10 accredited campuses awarding machinist credentials. If you finish and work as a machinist in Iowa, expect to start around $44,500–$49,190 and reach a median of $57,540 with experience; the top quarter earn $61,530 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Iowa). Graduates of these Iowa programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $44,633 in their first year, against $36,340 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What machinists earn in Iowa
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 2,880 employed in Iowa. National median: $58,750.
Campuses in Iowa, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: AnkenyCalmarCedar RapidsCouncil BluffsDavenportFort DodgeMarshalltownOttumwaWaterlooWest Burlington
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 8 | $51,059 | not reported | 39% | not reported |
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 25 | $44,721 | $6,800 | 43% | not reported |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 5 | $44,545 | $5,446 | 51% | not reported |
| Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa | Public | 6 | $40,146 | not reported | 40% | not reported |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 8 | $39,240 | $12,000 | 43% | not reported |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 16 | not reported | not reported | 45% | not reported |
| Southeastern Community College | West Burlington | Public | 5 | not reported | not reported | 44% | not reported |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 2 | not reported | not reported | 42% | not reported |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public | 1 | not reported | $5,500 | 40% | not reported |
| Marshalltown Community College | Marshalltown | Public | 1 | not reported | not reported | 42% | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.