Construction Trades at Charter College

Charter College's construction trades program shows a troubling earnings trajectory that demands scrutiny, even accounting for the small sample size. Graduates start at $52,820—already $17,000 below the national median for this degree—then see earnings drop 22% to $41,319 by year four. That backward slide is particularly concerning in construction trades, where experience and union membership typically drive wages *up*, not down. The program ranks at just the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of similar programs produce better outcomes.

The Alaska picture offers limited context since only two schools report data for this program, and Charter's earnings match the state median. However, comparing to national construction trades outcomes reveals the gap: graduates here earn roughly 40% less than what's typical for this degree. With many Alaska students drawn to construction trades for the state's robust building sector and premium wages, these numbers suggest either program quality issues or credential recognition problems in the local market.

The debt load is reasonable at $13,862, but even a modest debt burden becomes problematic when paired with declining earnings below $45,000. For families investing in career-focused training, this pattern—starting low and moving lower—signals something broken in the program's job placement or credential value. Given these are among the worst outcomes nationally for construction trades, parents should seriously question what's causing this underperformance before committing.