2026 Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in Iowa
[Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician](/majors/mechanical-repair-technologies/vehicle-maintenance-repair-tech/automobile-automotive-mechanics-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools in Iowa
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician Schools
For return on investment in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician, no school beat Western Iowa Tech Community College this year. Set in the city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,186 in tuition and fees, compared with $5,330 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $8,250 to complete the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Western Iowa Tech Community College generally make around $36,535. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Iowa Area Community College earned it the #2 place for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician. Located in the rural area of Mason City, North Iowa Area Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,653, while out-of-state students pay about $9,551. Typical student debt for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates is $6,238. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from North Iowa Area Community College generally make around $47,882. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician will find it at Indian Hills Community College, which ranked #3. Indian Hills Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Ottumwa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, while out-of-state students pay about $6,120. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,188 in student loans. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Indian Hills Community College earn a median of $50,901 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,188 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician will find it at Kirkwood Community College, which ranked #4. Kirkwood Community College is a large public school located in the city of Cedar Rapids. In-state tuition and fees average $6,176, compared with $8,220 for out-of-state students. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,000 in student loans. Early-career automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates make about $44,896. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician will find it at Iowa Central Community College, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Fort Dodge, Iowa Central Community College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,496, compared with $7,788 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program here. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Iowa Central Community College earn a median of $49,556 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt.
Eastern Iowa Community College District placed #6 among the best values for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician. Located in the city of Davenport, Eastern Iowa Community College District is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,848, while out-of-state students pay about $6,456. Typical student debt for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates is $15,995. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Eastern Iowa Community College District earn a median of $41,510 early in their careers. Set against $15,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwestern Community College Creston ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician schools. Set in the town of Creston, Southwestern Community College Creston is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,064, with out-of-state students paying around $8,316. Typical student debt for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates is $15,881. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Southwestern Community College Creston earn a median of $46,106 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,881 median debt.
Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar came in at #8 for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Set in the rural area of Calmar, Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,780, compared with $7,770 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,500 to complete the automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician program here. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar earn a median of $43,536 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $5,500 median debt.
Hawkeye Community College earned the #9 position for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Set in the rural area of Waterloo, Hawkeye Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $6,525, while out-of-state students pay about $6,612. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates make about $47,762. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Iowa Lakes Community College came in at #10 for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Located in the town of Estherville, Iowa Lakes Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,392, while out-of-state students pay about $7,872. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $20,876 in student loans. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Iowa Lakes Community College generally make around $34,586. That is a strong return on a $20,876 median debt.
Des Moines Area Community College earned the #11 position for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Des Moines Area Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Ankeny. Students from in state pay about $5,790 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,690 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates is $9,624. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates of Des Moines Area Community College earn a median of $52,325 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Iowa Western Community College earned the #12 position for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Located in the suburb of Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,930, with out-of-state students paying around $7,080. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $10,055 in student loans. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Iowa Western Community College generally make around $47,199. That is a strong return on a $10,055 median debt.
Northwest Iowa Community College earned the #13 position for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Located in the town of Sheldon, Northwest Iowa Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,350, with out-of-state students paying around $7,650. Automobile/automotive Mechanics Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $11,326 in student loans. Soon after graduation, automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician degree recipients from Northwest Iowa Community College generally make around $52,174. Set against $11,326 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southeastern Community College West Burlington came in at #14 for value in automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician this year. Southeastern Community College West Burlington is a mid-sized public school located in the town of West Burlington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,420, with out-of-state students paying around $6,570. Typical student debt for automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates is $16,126. Early-career automobile/automotive mechanics technology/technician graduates make about $45,760. Set against $16,126 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
