Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians at Central Oregon Community College

The $22,000 gap between what similar programs nationally suggest ($56,704) and what Oregon's industrial tech graduates actually earn ($78,450 at Portland Community College, for instance) should make you take a closer look at this program. Central Oregon Community College's outcomes aren't reported—likely because too few students complete this degree—which means we're working with national estimates that may not reflect Oregon's stronger manufacturing wages. If this program actually performs closer to state norms, the estimated $12,000 in debt would be reasonable for a credential leading to nearly $80,000 first-year earnings. But if it tracks closer to the national figure we're using, you're still looking at debt equal to just two months of income.

The real question is program maturity and local employer connections. Small cohorts can mean either a boutique program with tight industry ties or one struggling to gain traction in the local job market. Bend's manufacturing sector is smaller than Portland's, which could explain both the limited data and potentially different outcomes. Given Oregon's strong showing in this field generally—the state median is 38% higher than the national figure—you'd want to understand whether Central Oregon's program connects students to the region's advanced manufacturing jobs or if graduates need to relocate to find that higher pay.