Hawkeye Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College

Comparable Facts

Compare Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, IA with Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Kirkwood Community College is larger than Hawkeye Community College based on total student enrollment (12,763 students vs. 5,120 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo, IA (Rural Fringe setting); Kirkwood Community College is in Cedar Rapids, IA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Hawkeye Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Kirkwood Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Hawkeye Community College 13:1; Kirkwood Community College 20:1.

Hawkeye Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Hawkeye Community College or Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College than Hawkeye Community College ($8,936 vs. $9,532).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kirkwood Community College are 12.1% lower than at Hawkeye Community College ($9,090 vs. $10,340).
• Hawkeye Community College is 5.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Kirkwood Community College (about $349 more per year; $6,525.00 vs. $6,176.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.3% higher at Kirkwood Community College than at Hawkeye Community College (about $1,608 more per year; $8,220.00 vs. $6,612.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hawkeye Community College than at Kirkwood Community College (82% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Kirkwood Community College students is 25.3% larger than aid received by Hawkeye Community College students ($6,511 vs. $5,198).

Hawkeye Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Hawkeye Community College or Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood 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; Kirkwood Community College - Open admission.

Hawkeye Community College vs. Kirkwood Community College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Hawkeye Community College and Kirkwood 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 Kirkwood Community College earn a median of about $100 more per year than Hawkeye Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,600 vs. $36,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Kirkwood Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median loan debt ($12,000 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Kirkwood Community College and Hawkeye Community College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($124 vs. $124).
• More Hawkeye Community College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kirkwood Community College students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 42%)

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.