Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Cisco College

Texas auto tech programs show a wide earnings spread, with top performers like Tarrant County College producing graduates who earn over $50,000 in their first year, while the state median sits at $37,000. Cisco College's program appears to track right at that middle point, with estimated first-year earnings around $37,000 based on comparable programs statewide. That's practical money—enough to cover the estimated $9,500 in student debt within a few months while building a career in a field that consistently needs workers.

What makes this estimate more reliable is how closely Texas programs cluster around similar outcomes, and how those state figures align with national benchmarks ($35,900). The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 suggests graduates in similar programs typically manage their loans without strain. However, the gap between Cisco's projected performance and what students earn at programs like Tarrant County or even Austin Community College—both offering the same credential—raises questions about whether location, employer connections, or curriculum differences explain the $10,000+ variance.

The practical takeaway: your child can likely become employable and carry manageable debt through a program like this, but if they have the option to attend one of the stronger-performing community colleges in metro areas, the earnings advantage appears substantial enough to justify the consideration, especially since most of these programs keep debt levels similar.