Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Cowley County Community College

A vehicle maintenance program that estimates first-year earnings around $43,000—well below the Kansas state median of $49,000—deserves scrutiny. While comparable programs across Kansas typically produce earnings in that higher range, this program's estimated outcomes align more closely with the national average than with what Kansas employers actually pay automotive technicians. That $6,000 gap matters when you're servicing debt.

The estimated $11,425 in debt produces a manageable 0.27 debt-to-earnings ratio, suggesting graduates could handle payments without severe strain. However, the real concern is opportunity cost: other Kansas community colleges with reported outcomes show what's possible in this state. Wichita State's applied sciences campus reports graduates earning $56,000, while Fort Hays's technical program shows $41,600—both actual figures rather than estimates. This gap suggests either weaker employer connections or a curriculum that doesn't align with Kansas's automotive market demands.

For a field where hands-on training and employer relationships drive outcomes, choosing a program without trackable graduate results means betting on an unknown. If your child is set on staying in Kansas for automotive work, programs with demonstrated success placing graduates into the state's higher-paying shops offer less guesswork. The estimates here suggest an acceptable baseline, but Kansas automotive techs can clearly do better.