Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Central Arizona College

A certificate in electrical engineering technology carries an estimated $9,400 in debt at Central Arizona College, which is actually below the national median of nearly $12,000 for similar programs—a meaningful difference when you're borrowing. Based on comparable programs nationally, first-year earnings around $38,800 translate to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24, suggesting graduates could theoretically pay off this debt in under three months of gross income.

The challenge is that these figures represent what peer programs typically produce, not what Central Arizona College's specific graduates have achieved. With only five schools offering this program in Arizona and none reporting actual outcomes data, you're making a decision with limited visibility into how this certificate performs in the local market. The $38,800 estimate sits at the national median, but the top quarter of programs nationally see graduates earning $57,400—a $18,600 difference that matters considerably when you're starting a technical career.

For an anxious parent, the relatively low debt burden is the program's strongest feature, but you're essentially betting that Central Arizona College's outcomes mirror national patterns rather than fall below them. If your child can connect with recent graduates or the school's placement office to understand actual job placement rates and starting wages in the Phoenix-Tucson corridor, that would add crucial information. The economics could work, but you're operating with limited program-specific evidence.