Career Training Path › Diesel mechanic schools › Iowa
Diesel mechanic schools in Iowa
Iowa has 10 accredited campuses awarding diesel tech credentials. If you finish and work as a diesel technician in Iowa, expect to start around $43,710–$48,770 and reach a median of $59,680 with experience; the top quarter earn $71,570 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 $40,686 in their first year, against $37,506 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn in Iowa
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 4,140 employed in Iowa. National median: $61,770.
Campuses in Iowa, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: AnkenyCalmarCedar RapidsCouncil BluffsDavenportFort DodgeMason CityOttumwaSheldonWaterloo
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkeye Community College | Waterloo | Public | 18 | $43,768 | $12,000 | 43% | not reported |
| Northwest Iowa Community College | Sheldon | Public | 14 | $43,353 | $11,326 | 58% | not reported |
| Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs | Public | 21 | $41,886 | $6,500 | 40% | not reported |
| Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny | Public | 25 | $41,813 | $8,770 | 39% | not reported |
| Kirkwood Community College | Cedar Rapids | Public | 13 | $40,829 | $10,000 | 43% | not reported |
| Iowa Central Community College | Fort Dodge | Public | 34 | $40,543 | $12,000 | 42% | not reported |
| Northeast Iowa Community College | Calmar | Public | 8 | $39,231 | $5,500 | 51% | not reported |
| North Iowa Area Community College | Mason City | Public | 14 | $33,451 | $6,238 | 61% | not reported |
| Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa | Public | 15 | $33,135 | $11,000 | 40% | not reported |
| Eastern Iowa Community College District | Davenport | Public | 15 | $31,564 | not reported | 45% | 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.