Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology at Big Sandy Community and Technical College

Electrical maintenance technicians find steady work in Kentucky's manufacturing sector, but with no reported data from Big Sandy's actual graduates, families are left estimating what this program delivers. Based on national benchmarks for similar associate programs, graduates might expect around $45,300 in first-year earnings—solid entry-level pay for a technical field—while carrying roughly $12,000 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 falls well within manageable territory, suggesting graduates could reasonably pay off loans within a few years if those figures hold true.

The challenge here is that only one other Kentucky college offers this specific program, and neither has published graduate outcomes. Without actual earnings data from Big Sandy or its sole in-state peer, parents are essentially betting that this program performs in line with the national median. That's not necessarily a bad bet—maintenance technicians are in demand, and the math works if the estimates prove accurate—but it means you can't compare this program against stronger or weaker alternatives nearby the way you could with more common degrees.

The practical move: Contact Big Sandy directly to ask about job placement rates and typical starting employers. If they can point to specific regional manufacturers or utilities hiring their graduates, that real-world employment pipeline matters more than estimated earnings from programs across the country. The numbers suggest reasonable value, but local employer connections will tell you whether this particular program actually delivers it.