Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Austin Community College District

Austin Community College's automotive program produces graduates earning $40,720 in their first year—landing just above the 75th percentile nationally but middle-of-the-pack for Texas. While this beats the typical automotive certificate program by nearly $5,000, several other Texas schools place graduates into higher-earning positions, with Tarrant County College leading at $51,000. Still, ACC delivers solid earnings with below-median debt for Texas programs ($11,000 versus $13,560 statewide), creating a favorable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27.

The real story here is reliability: graduates enter the workforce earning a livable wage in Austin's expensive market, and they do so with manageable debt that represents less than three months of gross pay. For a certificate program that typically takes under two years to complete, this represents a practical pathway to skilled employment. The moderate sample size suggests stable program outcomes rather than outlier results.

For parents weighing this against four-year options or other trade schools, ACC offers a straightforward value proposition—faster completion, lower debt, and immediate earning potential that compares favorably to most automotive programs nationwide. If your student wants to work on vehicles professionally, this program provides a dependable entry point, even if the ceiling isn't quite as high as a few competitors in the state.