Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Century College

First-year earnings of $35,241 place this program well below what automotive technology graduates typically earn elsewhere in Minnesota, where the median sits at $41,672. That $6,400 gap becomes more concerning when you compare Century College to peer programs: Minneapolis Community and Technical College graduates start at $58,745, while several other state technical colleges launch graduates into the mid-$40,000s. Even by year four, when Century graduates reach $43,373, they're still trailing where other Minnesota programs start.

The debt picture offers some relief—an estimated $11,651 borrowed translates to a manageable 0.33 ratio against first-year earnings, based on what's typical for Minnesota certificate programs in this field. But the practical question remains: why accept lower starting pay when similar programs across the state deliver substantially better outcomes? The 23% earnings growth over four years suggests solid career progression once employed, yet starting $10,000+ behind peers means years of playing catch-up.

For a family evaluating technical training options, this data points toward exploring other Minnesota automotive programs first. The estimated debt burden won't crush anyone, but the earnings lag compared to state competitors is significant enough to warrant serious comparison shopping. If Century College offers unique scheduling flexibility or location advantages, those factors would need to outweigh starting substantially behind the Minnesota average for this field.