CNC · IA

Machining and CNC Schools in Iowa

8 schools in Iowa reported machining and CNC graduates for 2023-24, 88 awards in all. Sorted by number of graduates.

Hawkeye Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 37 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,786
Median pay 1 yr out: $44,101 undergraduate certificate

Kirkwood Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 19 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,288
Median pay 1 yr out: $46,467 associate degree

Des Moines Area Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 10 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $6,030
Median pay 1 yr out: $65,355 associate degree

Indian Hills Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 9 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,232
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $45,714

Eastern Iowa Community College District

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 7 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,016
Median pay 1 yr out: $61,035 undergraduate certificate

Northeast Iowa Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 3 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,020
Median pay 1 yr out: $47,678 undergraduate certificate

Marshalltown Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 2 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $5,664
Median pay 10 yrs, all: $43,170

Iowa Central Community College

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

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

Grads 2023-24: 1 machining and CNC
In-state tuition/yr 2025-26: $7,050
Median pay 1 yr out: $42,912 undergraduate certificate

Licensing in Iowa

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

BLS puts the median annual wage for machinists in Iowa at $57,540 (middle 80% from $44,500 to $71,160), May 2025. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Questions, answered from the data

How many machining and cnc schools are there in Iowa?

8 schools in Iowa reported machining and CNC graduates to the Department of Education for 2023-24, 88 awards in all (50 undergraduate certificates, 38 associate degrees).

How much does machining and CNC school cost in Iowa?

At schools that price by program, public two-year colleges teaching it charge a median $6,159 a year in-state (2025-26). Grants and aid lower what most students pay.

How much does a machinist make in Iowa?

The BLS median annual wage for machinists in Iowa was $57,540 in May 2025; the lowest-paid 10% earned under $44,500 and the top 10% over $71,160.

What do machining and CNC graduates earn right after school?

Across 5 schools in Iowa with College Scorecard data, the median of their graduates' median earnings one year after a certificate was $47,678. 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.