Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies at Dodge City Community College

The numbers from comparable programs suggest this automotive associate's degree might leave graduates playing catch-up with their Kansas peers. While national automotive tech programs typically produce first-year earnings around $43,000, Kansas programs generally perform better—the state median sits at $49,000, with Wichita State's campus hitting $56,000. If Dodge City's program tracks closer to the national average than the Kansas benchmark, that's a meaningful gap.

The estimated debt load of $11,425 is manageable on its own, producing a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 that looks reasonable on paper. But debt isn't the core issue here—it's whether this program can deliver Kansas-level earnings rather than national-average outcomes. In automotive technology, where hands-on training and employer networks matter enormously, location and program quality create wide variations. Some Kansas programs clear $50,000 in first-year earnings; others fall short of $42,000.

Without actual graduate outcomes from Dodge City, you're making an investment with limited visibility. If your child is committed to staying in Kansas and working in automotive repair, compare this program directly to alternatives at Wichita State or Fort Hays before committing. The difference between a $43,000 start and a $56,000 start compounds significantly over a career, and you won't know which outcome to expect until graduates actually report their earnings.