Hawkeye Community College vs Upper Iowa University
A side-by-side look at cost, graduate earnings, debt and return on investment. The better figure in each row is highlighted.
| Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA | Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Break-even |
| 10-year ROI | -144% | +27% |
| 10-year net gain | $-34,051 | $24,692 |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $43,962 | $56,757 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $40,873 | $51,115 |
| Average net price | $9,649 | $20,942 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $25,000 |
| Break-even | — | 7.9 yrs |
| Graduation rate | — | 34% |
| Admission rate | — | 97% |
Hawkeye Community College
Poor return
$-34,051 over 10 years
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
Upper Iowa University
Break-even
+$24,692 over 10 years
The payoff is roughly break-even — the degree recovers its cost, but slowly.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.