Ground Transportation at Bishop State Community College

Bishop State's Ground Transportation certificate leaves graduates earning about $4,000 less than the Alabama median for this program, landing in the 40th percentile statewide. That gap widens when you look nationally—first-year graduates make $35,619 compared to a $41,414 national median. Bevill State, just up the road, produces graduates earning nearly $12,000 more in their first year. The positive spin is that earnings do grow steadily, reaching $38,660 by year four, but that's still playing catch-up to where competitors start.

The saving grace here is debt. At $11,654, it's close to the state median and dramatically lower than the national average, putting this program in the 5th percentile nationally for debt burden. That 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates should be able to manage their loans, even with below-average starting salaries. For students who need to stay in Mobile and can't relocate for training elsewhere, this represents an affordable entry point into transportation careers.

If your child can access Bevill State or other higher-performing programs without major geographic or financial barriers, that's probably worth exploring. But for students who need the lowest upfront cost and are willing to accept more modest early earnings, Bishop State offers a manageable path forward.