COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians undergraduate certificate or diploma at Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.
$12,638 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 16.9% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $171,620 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- Withheld by data safeguards
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmarkNot availableInformational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$66,662A like-for-like comparison is unavailable
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$11,762
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$11,250
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$66,662
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$119/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$11,762Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$19,788Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATENot availableInstitution context
COMPLETION RATE31.7%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
2.1% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$5,555
Estimated loan payment$119
143borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$66,662 vs. $54,024
$12,638 above the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$75,650 median wageVA estimate · 670 jobs · 17-3027$60,040–$81,090 middle 50% of VA wages+1.3% projected U.S. growth · 3,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeMechanical Drafters$69,630 median wageVA estimate · 630 jobs · 17-3013$60,010–$83,380 middle 50% of VA wages-6.0% projected U.S. growth · 2,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$98,410 median wageVA estimate · 3,720 jobs · 17-3029$79,620–$110,930 middle 50% of VA wages+2.8% projected U.S. growth · 5,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeAutomotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$59,330 median wageVA estimate · 17,880 jobs · 49-3023$45,080–$76,540 middle 50% of VA wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 66,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Postsecondary nondegree awardAerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians$81,040 median wageVA estimate · 270 jobs · 17-3021$73,140–$96,100 middle 50% of VA wages+11.9% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeElectro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$74,880 median wageVA estimate · 570 jobs · 17-3024$60,550–$97,070 middle 50% of VA wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,400 openings/yrTypical entry: Associate's degreeMotorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$63,450 median wageVA estimate · 23,220 jobs · 49-3051$58,960–$99,060 middle 50% of VA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 2,600 openings/yrTypical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
Ferris State University
$15,850 higher earnings · $3,138 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $82,512
- Debt
- $25,000
- Annual net price
- $8,624
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
$3,747 less debt · $2,957 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $44,982
- Debt
- $7,503
- Annual net price
- $8,805
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
$6,743 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $73,405
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $12,323
Southwest Technology Center
$2,951 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $69,613
- Debt
- Not available
- Annual net price
- $14,313
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
18 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →