Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians at Edison State Community College

Similar mechanical engineering technology programs across Ohio suggest first-year earnings around $48,000—right at the state and national median—with typical debt near $15,400. That 0.32 debt ratio translates to manageable repayment: roughly three months of gross income to cover the entire associate's degree, assuming graduates enter the field they trained for.

The challenge here is uncertainty. Comparable programs in Ohio show considerable variation, from Owens Community College's $61,000 down to Stark State's $35,000. Without actual data from Edison State's own graduates, it's impossible to know where this program lands on that spectrum. Location matters in manufacturing-heavy states like Ohio—proximity to employers, co-op relationships, and regional demand all influence outcomes in ways that state medians can't capture.

For an associate's degree in a technical field, the estimated debt load is reasonable if the earnings materialize. But parents should verify what they can: talk to recent graduates about job placement, check whether local manufacturers recruit from this program, and understand what portion of students actually complete the degree and enter related work. The numbers suggest a workable investment, but they're based on peer programs, not Edison State's track record.