Hawkeye Community College vs. Iowa Lakes Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, IA with Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hawkeye Community College is larger than Iowa Lakes Community College based on total student enrollment (5,120 students vs. 1,945 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, IA (Rural Fringe setting); Iowa Lakes Community College is in Estherville, IA (Remote Town setting).
• Hawkeye Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Iowa Lakes Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Hawkeye Community College 13:1; Iowa Lakes Community College 13:1.

Hawkeye Community College vs. Iowa Lakes Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hawkeye Community College or Iowa Lakes Community College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hawkeye Community College than Iowa Lakes Community College ($9,532 vs. $13,278).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa Lakes Community College are 19.6% lower than at Hawkeye Community College ($8,310 vs. $10,340).
• Iowa Lakes Community College is 13.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hawkeye Community College (about $867 more per year; $7,392.00 vs. $6,525.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 19.1% higher at Iowa Lakes Community College than at Hawkeye Community College (about $1,260 more per year; $7,872.00 vs. $6,612.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hawkeye Community College than at Iowa Lakes Community College (82% vs. 72%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Lakes Community College students is 14% larger than aid received by Hawkeye Community College students ($5,926 vs. $5,198).

Hawkeye Community College vs. Iowa Lakes Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hawkeye Community College or Iowa Lakes Community College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Iowa Lakes Community College and Hawkeye Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Hawkeye Community College - Open admission; Iowa Lakes Community College - Open admission.

Hawkeye Community College vs. Iowa Lakes Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hawkeye Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Hawkeye Community College earn a median of about $2,300 more per year than Iowa Lakes Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,500 vs. $34,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Iowa Lakes Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Iowa Lakes Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More Iowa Lakes Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hawkeye Community College students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 45%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.