Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians at California College of ASU

The numbers here tell two very different stories depending on when you check in. That first-year earning of $14,613 is alarmingly low—putting grads in the bottom 5% nationally—but the trajectory matters: by year four, earnings more than double to $30,296. The $19,000 debt load means new graduates start with obligations exceeding their annual income, a financially precarious position that eases only as those later earnings kick in.

Here's the California twist that complicates the picture: while this program ranks near the bottom nationally, it actually sits at the state median for audiovisual tech programs. In other words, these outcomes aren't unusually poor for California—they're typical. That context doesn't make the early financial squeeze easier, but it does suggest the industry itself may have challenging entry-level compensation in this market, not just this particular program.

The core question is whether your child can weather those difficult first years. Graduates need either family support or additional income sources to bridge the gap between $14,613 annual earnings and basic living costs in Los Angeles. If that's feasible, the strong earnings growth suggests the credential does lead somewhere. If not, the immediate post-graduation period could be financially untenable, regardless of what happens later.