Engineering Technology at Century College

Based on comparable engineering technology programs nationwide, Century College's associate degree shows promising fundamentals: estimated first-year earnings around $48,300 against roughly $13,800 in debt translates to a 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates could theoretically repay their total debt in less than four months of gross income. That's a strong financial foundation for an entry-level technical credential, particularly at a community college where costs typically stay lower than at four-year institutions.

The challenge here is the limited visibility. With only two schools offering this program in Minnesota and no reported outcomes data from either, parents are essentially betting on national patterns holding true locally. Engineering technology programs nationally cluster tightly around that $48,300 median, which suggests some consistency, but Minnesota's manufacturing and tech sectors could deliver different results than the national average—either better or worse. The one-third Pell grant population indicates Century serves students who need affordable pathways to work, which aligns with the relatively modest debt load.

For parents considering this program, the math looks viable if your child wants hands-on technical work and the national pattern holds. But request concrete employment outcomes from Century's career services—where do their engineering tech grads actually land, and at what starting pay? Without school-specific data, you're relying on educated guesses rather than proven performance.