Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Central Washington University

The debt-to-earnings math here looks solid at face value—based on comparable programs nationally, graduates might carry roughly $26,000 in debt against first-year earnings near $67,000. That's a manageable 0.39 ratio, well below the 1.0 threshold that typically signals trouble. The jump to $95,000 by year four suggests real income growth, which is consistent with technical fields where experience commands premium pay.

But here's what makes this trickier to evaluate: both the earnings and debt figures are estimates drawn from peer programs, not actual outcomes from Central Washington's specific graduates. With only two schools offering this bachelor's degree in Washington state and no reported data from either, you're essentially betting on whether this program performs like the national median. That's not unreasonable—electrical engineering technology is fairly standardized—but you don't have the usual confirmation that this particular school delivers those results.

The 90% admission rate and 31% Pell grant enrollment suggest Central Washington serves a broad student population, which is fine for a public regional university. If your child is committed to electrical technology work and prefers a hands-on bachelor's program over traditional engineering, the estimated numbers suggest decent value. Just recognize you're making this decision with less program-specific data than ideal—the actual graduates may do better or worse than these national benchmarks indicate.