Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Davis Technical College

Earning $37,371 in the first year suggests this automotive program delivers middle-of-the-pack outcomes for Utah—it sits below the state median of $38,707 and well behind top performers like Dixie Technical College at $50,289. Based on comparable certificate programs at Davis Technical, graduates likely carry around $9,500 in debt, which creates a manageable 0.25 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's low enough to pay off within a year or two of focused payments, which matters in a field where many technicians enter the workforce debt-free through apprenticeships or employer training.

The 22% earnings growth to $45,515 by year four is solid and tracks with industry wage progression as technicians gain ASE certifications and specialized skills. However, the program's 40th percentile ranking within Utah indicates other technical colleges are producing better-earning graduates. The difference between this program and Dixie Technical amounts to nearly $13,000 annually—a substantial gap that compounds over a career.

For parents, the key question is whether this specific training justifies the cost when similar debt loads at other Utah technical colleges correlate with higher starting wages. The estimated debt is manageable, but if your child can gain admission to a higher-performing program elsewhere in the state, the earnings difference would likely outweigh any convenience factor of staying local.