Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians at Community College of Denver

Community College of Denver grabs your attention with strong first-year earnings of $38,655—ranking in the 81st percentile nationally and earning graduates nearly $2,200 more than the typical Colorado vet tech program. That's meaningful in a field where most programs cluster tightly around $36,000. Combined with below-average debt of $17,750 (roughly $3,000 less than the Colorado median), graduates start with solid financial footing.

The catch is what happens next. By year four, earnings drop to $35,193, a 9% decline that's unusual in this field. This could reflect the realities of vet tech careers—where many professionals face burnout or shift to less demanding (and lower-paying) positions after experiencing the physical and emotional demands of clinical work. It's worth noting this isn't unique to CCD; the entire field shows modest wage growth over time.

For Colorado families, this program still makes practical sense. Your child would start near the top of local vet tech earnings while carrying less debt than peers at most other programs in the state. The decline in earnings is concerning, but even at year four, graduates remain close to state medians. If your child is committed to animal healthcare and understands the field's challenges, CCD offers a relatively affordable entry point with competitive starting pay.