Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Positive payoff
+$170,784 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
The estimate clears the cost within ten years, though your price and time to finish may change the result.
5.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
+80%Modeled 10-year ROI
$83,528Observed earnings · year 4
$51,320Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark is $42,696 per year below this threshold.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itFour useful answers about Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
How much do Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $83,528 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $23,250. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $83,528 to $83,528 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 10 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$205,280
$9,000Current college-wide context+$169,280
$14,000Annual price+$149,280
$28,000Annual price+$93,280
$42,000Annual price+$37,280
$56,000Annual price−$18,720
$70,000Annual price−$74,720
Observed national outcomes
$83,528Median reported earnings · year 4
$80,009Average reported earnings · year 5
$23,250Median federal debt
79thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
1With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
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
- $65,611
- Federal debt
- $9,500
- Reporting programs
- 61
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $74,666
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Reporting programs
- 34
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $83,528
- Federal debt
- $23,250
- Reporting programs
- 1
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$83,528National median$83,52875th percentile$83,528
1 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
1 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1Ferris State University$83,528Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-16%Projected employment growth →32%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$74,340 median wage48,240 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9012+4.3% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$45,910–$112,500 10th–90th percentileElevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers$109,910 median wage23,790 U.S. jobs · SOC 47-4021+5.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$59,270–$158,890 10th–90th percentileRail Car Repairers$67,530 median wage21,350 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-3043+2.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,800–$95,100 10th–90th percentileMillwrights$65,700 median wage40,330 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9044+0.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.2k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,290–$93,600 10th–90th percentileMobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510 median wage176,600 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-3042+6.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 15k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,820–$94,460 10th–90th percentileIndustrial Machinery Mechanics$64,520 median wage439,640 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9041+17.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 44.4k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$46,120–$95,170 10th–90th percentileWind Turbine Service Technicians$64,120 median wage9,980 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9081+29.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 1.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Postsecondary nondegree award$49,230–$92,460 10th–90th percentileRefractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons$61,290 median wage1,080 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9045-13.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 0.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$40,590–$86,510 10th–90th percentileMaintenance Workers, Machinery$60,850 median wage60,020 U.S. jobs · SOC 49-9043-1.9% projected employment, 2025–35 · 4.4k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$42,000–$88,550 10th–90th percentileNO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
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 | Ferris State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $83,528 | $23,250 | +80% | Positive payoff |
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.