AUTO · IA

Auto Mechanic Schools in Iowa

15 schools in Iowa reported auto mechanic graduates for 2023-24, 459 awards in all. Sorted by number of graduates.

Des Moines Area Community College

2006 Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 111
WELD 333
ELEC 32
CARP 27
HVAC 21
DSL 18
BODY 15
CNC 10

Grads 2023-24: 111 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,030
Median pay 1 yr out: $55,522 associate degree

Kirkwood Community College

6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 98
WELD 48
IMT 47
CNC 19
HVAC 16
PLMB 15
CARP 9
DSL 7
BODY 6

Grads 2023-24: 98 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,288
Median pay 1 yr out: $53,200 associate degree

Western Iowa Tech Community College

4647 Stone Ave, Sioux City, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 51
BODY 52
WELD 29
HVAC 28
CARP 21
CDL 15
PLMB 12
ELEC 9

Grads 2023-24: 51 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,306
Median pay 1 yr out: $42,099 undergraduate certificate

Eastern Iowa Community College District

101 W Third Street, Davenport, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 48
WELD 153
DSL 12
HVAC 11
CNC 7
CARP 3

Grads 2023-24: 48 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,016
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $43,427

Southwestern Community College

1501 West Townline Street, Creston, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 26
ELEC 49
WELD 40
CARP 30
IMT 16
BODY 12

Grads 2023-24: 26 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $8,352
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $43,908

Northwest Iowa Community College

603 W Park St, Sheldon, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 19
LINE 67
DSL 13
ELEC 11
HEO 11
WELD 11

Grads 2023-24: 19 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,500
Median pay 1 yr out: $54,706 associate degree

Iowa Western Community College

2700 College Rd, Council Bluffs, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 18
WELD 82
A&P 28
DSL 28
CNST 27
HVAC 20
PLMB 20
ELEC 10

Grads 2023-24: 18 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,050
Median pay 1 yr out: $56,801 undergraduate certificate

Northeast Iowa Community College

1625 Hwy 150, Calmar, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 16
ELEC 23
IMT 14
WELD 11
DSL 8
CARP 6
CNC 3
HVAC 2
PLMB 1

Grads 2023-24: 16 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,020
Median pay 1 yr out: $45,193 undergraduate certificate

Indian Hills Community College

525 Grandview Ave, Ottumwa, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 16
WELD 56
CARP 11
CNC 9
IMT 7
A&P 6
DSL 6
HVAC 6

Grads 2023-24: 16 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,232
Median pay 1 yr out: $56,294 associate degree

Hawkeye Community College

1501 E Orange Rd, Waterloo, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 12
WELD 39
CNC 37
HVAC 17
BODY 14
CARP 12
DSL 8

Grads 2023-24: 12 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,786
Median pay 1 yr out: $45,184 associate degree

Iowa Central Community College

One Triton Circle, Fort Dodge, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 11
WELD 44
ELEC 30
DSL 27
IMT 12
CARP 10
BODY 9
HVAC 9
CNC 1

Grads 2023-24: 11 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,050
Median pay 1 yr out: $45,462 associate degree

North Iowa Area Community College

500 College Dr, Mason City, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 11
WELD 30
CARP 20
IMT 14
DSL 10
HVAC 10

Grads 2023-24: 11 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,803
Median pay 1 yr out: $47,129 associate degree

Southeastern Community College

1500 West Agency Road, West Burlington, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 11
WELD 46
IMT 43
CARP 17
BODY 8

Grads 2023-24: 11 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,660
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $41,635

Marshalltown Community College

3700 S Center St, Marshalltown, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 10
WELD 63
LINE 42
IMT 3
CNST 2
CNC 2

Grads 2023-24: 10 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,664
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $43,170

Iowa Lakes Community College

19 S 7th St, Estherville, IA · Public, 2-year

AUTO 1
WELD 14
ELEC 11
IMT 9
CARP 2
HVAC 2

Grads 2023-24: 1 auto mechanic
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,616
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $47,167

Auto Mechanic Schools by city

Licensing in Iowa

Requirements are set by Iowa (and sometimes your city), not by the school. Look up the current rules for automotive technicians on CareerOneStop's License Finder for Iowa. General path: Auto Mechanic Schools overview.

BLS puts the median annual wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Iowa at $50,510 (middle 80% from $36,100 to $77,400), May 2025. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Questions, answered from the data

How many auto mechanic schools are there in Iowa?

15 schools in Iowa reported auto mechanic graduates to the Department of Education for 2023-24, 459 awards in all (295 undergraduate certificates, 164 associate degrees).

How much does auto mechanic school cost in Iowa?

At schools that price by program, public two-year colleges teaching it charge a median $6,786 a year in-state (2025-26). Grants and aid lower what most students pay.

How much does a automotive technician make in Iowa?

The BLS median annual wage for automotive service technicians and mechanics in Iowa was $50,510 in May 2025; the lowest-paid 10% earned under $36,100 and the top 10% over $77,400.

What do auto mechanic graduates earn right after school?

Across 3 schools in Iowa with College Scorecard data, the median of their graduates' median earnings one year after a certificate was $45,193. Scorecard reports this for the broader program family and only for federally aided graduates.

All trade schools in Iowa

Sources: IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Directory (HD2024), NCES; College Scorecard institution data (2025-26 charges, released Nov 2, 2026) and field-of-study data (Oct 15, 2026); FMCSA Training Provider Registry (as of 2026-11-02); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked 2026-11-02. How we build this list.