Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 71 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Strong payoff
+$123,832 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
4.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
+107%Modeled 10-year ROI
$68,934Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$68,934Median reported earnings · year 4
$65,752Average reported earnings · year 5
$14,236Median federal debt
85thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
71Reporting programs
64With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,479
- Federal debt
- $11,683
- Reporting programs
- 26
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,934
- Federal debt
- $14,236
- Reporting programs
- 71
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,322
- Federal debt
- $28,302
- Reporting programs
- 54
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$61,811National median$68,93475th percentile$74,720
64 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Stark State College$128,5902Bismarck State College$115,3163Great Basin College$103,9044Victoria College$91,4615Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College$91,1386University of Arkansas Grantham$89,9597Austin Community College District$88,3658New River Community College$85,6989Youngstown State University$85,35710Southern Maine Community College$83,075Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3023 · 4 crosswalk linksElectrical and Electronics DraftersSOC 17-3012 · 2 crosswalk linksEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherSOC 17-3029 · 2 crosswalk linksAerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksCalibration Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3028 · 1 crosswalk linksDisc Jockeys, Except RadioSOC 27-2091 · 1 crosswalk linksElectrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and RelaySOC 49-2095 · 1 crosswalk linksElectro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3024 · 1 crosswalk linksSound Engineering TechniciansSOC 27-4014 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Canton, OH | $128,590 | $11,083 | +720% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Bismarck State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bismarck, ND | $115,316 | $14,236 | +536% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Great Basin CollegeAssociate's Degree | Elko, NV | $103,904 | Not available | +451% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Victoria CollegeAssociate's Degree | Victoria, TX | $91,461 | Not available | +384% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Orangeburg, SC | $91,138 | Not available | +351% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | University of Arkansas GranthamAssociate's Degree | LIttle Rock, AR | $89,959 | $22,814 | +321% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $88,365 | Not available | +322% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | New River Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dublin, VA | $85,698 | Not available | +297% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Youngstown State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Youngstown, OH | $85,357 | $17,609 | +249% | Strong payoff |
| 10 | Southern Maine Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | South Portland, ME | $83,075 | $10,250 | +239% | Strong payoff |
| 11 | Zane State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Zanesville, OH | $82,415 | $10,334 | +253% | Strong payoff |
| 12 | Hudson Valley Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Troy, NY | $81,276 | Not available | +239% | Strong payoff |
| 13 | University of Akron Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Akron, OH | $80,861 | $20,500 | +204% | Strong payoff |
| 14 | New England Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $78,929 | Not available | +108% | Strong payoff |
| 15 | Anoka Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Anoka, MN | $78,180 | Not available | +168% | Strong payoff |
| 16 | Portland Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Portland, OR | $76,545 | $17,000 | +185% | Strong payoff |
| 17 | Indian Hills Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Ottumwa, IA | $74,720 | $10,669 | +167% | Strong payoff |
| 18 | Midlands Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | West Columbia, SC | $73,982 | Not available | +192% | Strong payoff |
| 19 | Southeast Community College AreaAssociate's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $72,418 | $11,000 | +153% | Strong payoff |
| 20 | Hennepin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brooklyn Park, MN | $72,164 | $16,246 | +146% | Strong payoff |
| 21 | Indian River State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fort Pierce, FL | $71,235 | Not available | +169% | Strong payoff |
| 22 | Idaho State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Pocatello, ID | $71,058 | Not available | +128% | Strong payoff |
| 23 | Thomas Edison State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Trenton, NJ | $69,620 | $9,200 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 24 | Ivy Tech Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $68,944 | $12,125 | +129% | Strong payoff |
| 25 | DeVry College of New YorkAssociate's Degree | New York, NY | $68,934 | $28,782 | +107% | Strong payoff |
| 26 | DeVry University-ArizonaAssociate's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 27 | DeVry University-CaliforniaAssociate's Degree | Ontario, CA | $68,934 | $28,782 | +52% | Positive payoff |
| 28 | DeVry University-FloridaAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $68,934 | $28,782 | +61% | Positive payoff |
| 29 | DeVry University-IllinoisAssociate's Degree | Lisle, IL | $68,934 | $28,782 | +58% | Positive payoff |
| 30 | DeVry University-NevadaAssociate's Degree | Henderson, NV | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 31 | DeVry University-New JerseyAssociate's Degree | Iselin, NJ | $68,934 | $28,782 | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 32 | DeVry University-OhioAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $68,934 | $28,782 | +71% | Positive payoff |
| 33 | DeVry University-TexasAssociate's Degree | Irving, TX | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 34 | DeVry University-VirginiaAssociate's Degree | Arlington, VA | $68,934 | $28,782 | +47% | Positive payoff |
| 35 | Orion Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Davenport, IA | $68,893 | $25,351 | +67% | Positive payoff |
| 36 | CUNY Bronx Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bronx, NY | $67,233 | Not available | +125% | Strong payoff |
| 37 | Monroe Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Rochester, NY | $67,046 | $13,250 | +115% | Strong payoff |
| 38 | Vincennes UniversityAssociate's Degree | Vincennes, IN | $65,822 | $13,000 | +85% | Positive payoff |
| 39 | Nassau Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Garden City, NY | $65,428 | Not available | +96% | Positive payoff |
| 40 | Dallas CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $65,208 | $12,549 | +110% | Strong payoff |
| 41 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $63,825 | Not available | +61% | Positive payoff |
| 42 | North Dakota State College of ScienceAssociate's Degree | Wahpeton, ND | $62,920 | $11,000 | +59% | Positive payoff |
| 43 | Valencia CollegeAssociate's Degree | Orlando, FL | $62,068 | $9,168 | +50% | Positive payoff |
| 44 | State Technical College of MissouriAssociate's Degree | Linn, MO | $61,832 | $12,000 | +40% | Positive payoff |
| 45 | Pearl River Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Poplarville, MS | $61,811 | $10,625 | +63% | Positive payoff |
| 46 | Hudson County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Jersey City, NJ | $61,392 | Not available | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 47 | Madison Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Madison, WI | $59,588 | Not available | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 48 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $59,489 | Not available | +36% | Positive payoff |
| 49 | Mitchell Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Mitchell, SD | $59,442 | Not available | +24% | Positive payoff |
| 50 | SUNY College of Technology at DelhiAssociate's Degree | Delhi, NY | $59,095 | Not available | +13% | Positive payoff |
| 51 | Gateway Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Kenosha, WI | $58,581 | $15,185 | +17% | Positive payoff |
| 52 | Chattahoochee Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Marietta, GA | $58,082 | Not available | +35% | Positive payoff |
| 53 | CUNY Queensborough Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bayside, NY | $57,571 | Not available | +27% | Positive payoff |
| 54 | Montana State University-NorthernAssociate's Degree | Havre, MT | $57,489 | $10,708 | +8% | Positive payoff |
| 55 | YTI Career Institute-YorkAssociate's Degree | York, PA | $54,630 | $18,046 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Southeastern Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Whiteville, NC | $54,536 | Not available | -12% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | Northeast State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blountville, TN | $53,606 | Not available | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Laurel Technical InstituteAssociate's Degree | Uniontown, PA | $47,004 | $15,245 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Gadsden State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Gadsden, AL | $40,904 | Not available | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | NUC UniversityAssociate's Degree | Bayamon, PR | $29,800 | $12,000 | -241% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Onondaga Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Syracuse, NY | Not available | $10,787 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,562 |
| 62 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeAssociate's Degree | Erie, PA | Not available | $13,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $24,558 |
| 63 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- EberlyAssociate's Degree | Lemont Furnace, PA | Not available | $13,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $14,596 |
| 64 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | University Park, PA | Not available | $13,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $32,875 |
| 65 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State YorkAssociate's Degree | York, PA | Not available | $13,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,047 |
| 66 | Laurel Technical InstituteAssociate's Degree | Hermitage, PA | Not available | $12,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $6,778 |
| 67 | College of Western IdahoAssociate's Degree | Nampa, ID | Not available | $13,624 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $8,500 |
| 68 | Pittsburgh Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $73,513 | $17,249 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 69 | DeVry University-ColoradoAssociate's Degree | , | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 70 | DeVry University-MissouriAssociate's Degree | , | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 71 | DeVry University-PennsylvaniaAssociate's Degree | , | $68,934 | $28,782 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.